VULTURES - In Belize

Un-feathered head, distinctive wing pattern and flight characteristics; broad wing with primary feathers held apart, creating rounded wingtip.

Black Vulture

Black Vulture

Black Vulture - With sooty black plumage, a bare black head, and neat white stars under the wingtips, Black Vultures are almost dapper. Whereas Turkey Vultures are lanky birds with teetering flight, Black Vultures are compact birds with broad wings, short tails, and powerful wingbeats. The two species often associate: the Black Vulture makes up for its poor sense of smell by following Turkey Vultures to carcasses. Highly social birds with fierce family loyalty, Black Vultures share food with relatives, feeding young for months after they’ve fledged.
BELIZE HABITAT - Found in or over nearly every habitat except unbroken dense forest and open ocean.  The vulture most likely to be found feeding in urban areas and on beaches.  Nests in cavities of dead trees.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Common to very common on mainland; occasionally on Ambergris Caye.
INTERESTING BIRD FACTS

• In the U.S., Black Vultures are outnumbered by their red-headed relatives, Turkey Vultures, but they have a huge range and are the most numerous vulture in the Western Hemisphere.
• Turkey Vultures have an excellent sense of smell, but Black Vultures aren’t nearly as accomplished sniffers. To find food they soar high in the sky and keep an eye on the lower-soaring Turkey Vultures. When a Turkey Vulture’s nose detects the delicious aroma of decaying flesh and descends on a carcass, the Black Vulture follows close behind.
• One-on-one at a carcass, Black Vultures lose out to the slightly larger Turkey Vulture. But flocks of Black Vultures can quickly take over a carcass and drive the more solitary Turkey Vultures away.
• Black Vultures lack a voice box and so their vocal abilities are limited to making raspy hisses and grunts.

King Vulture

King Vulture

King Vulture - Uncommon, large, and spectacular bird of lowland tropical forest, mainly in wilder areas and not around human habitation. Most often seen soaring overhead in mid-late morning, often fairly high up with kettles of Black Vultures; rarely seen perched. Striking adult has a colorful head and neck, piercing white eyes, and mostly white plumage with a black trailing edge to the wings and tail. Immature is blackish overall and lacks the white wing markings of the smaller Black Vulture. Immature develops adult plumage over a few years with white appearing first on the belly and the underside of the wings.
BELIZE HABITAT - Open country, patch and contiguous woodland.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Widespread but generally uncommon resident on mainland; most common in Cayo and weat of Toledo, less so in coastal areas.

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Turkey Vulture

Turkey Vulture

Turkey Vulture - If you’ve gone looking for raptors on a clear day, your heart has probably leaped at the sight of a large, soaring bird in the distance– perhaps an eagle or osprey. But if it's soaring with its wings raised in a V and making wobbly circles, it's likely a Turkey Vulture. These birds ride thermals in the sky and use their keen sense of smell to find fresh carcasses. They are a consummate scavenger, cleaning up the countryside one bite of their sharply hooked bill at a time, and never mussing a feather on their bald heads.
BELIZE HABITAT - Found in or over nearly every terrestrial habitat, even occasionally dense forest.  Nests in cavities of dead trees.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Common to very common on mainland away from extensively forested areas; less common on Ambergris Caye and unrecorded from most other cayes.
INTERESTING BIRD FACTS

• The oldest recorded Turkey Vulture was at least 16 years, 10 months old when it was found in Ohio, the same state where it had been banded.

Lesser Yellow Headed Vulture

Lesser Yellow Headed Vulture

Lesser Yellow Headed Vulture - Widespread and common vulture in lowland rainforest. Head may not appear yellow unless seen at close range. Best identified by steady flight with wings held at a slight dihedral. Similar to Turkey Vulture, but has broader wings which it holds flatter and does not teeter from side to side as often. Occurs in rainforest, cities, and agricultural areas.
BELIZE HABITAT - Open country, especially savannas, rice fields, and shrimp farms, usually in association with Turkey Vultures.  Less likely to be found in populated areas than the Black or Turkey vulture.
Where can I find this bird in Belize?
Uncommon to fairly common resident in central portion west to southwest of Orange Walk, northeast of Cayo, occasionally northwest of Cayo and east base of Maya Mtns; absent from forested areas, include Mtn. Pine Ridge.  Regularly seen on Ambergris Caye, unrecorded from other cayes.