King vulture
| King Vulture | |
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| Scientific classification | |
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| Genus: | Sarcoramphus Duméril, 1805
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| Species: | S. papa
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| Binomial name | |
| Sarcoramphus papa (Linnaeus, 1758)
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| The Distribution of the King Vulture | |
| Synonyms | |
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Vultur papa L. | |
The King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa), is a large bird found in Central and South America. This vulture lives predominantly in tropical lowland forests stretching from southern Mexico to northern Argentina, though some believe that William Bartram of Florida may be of this species. It is the only surviving member of the genus Sarcoramphus, although fossil members are known.
Large and predominantly white, the King Vulture has gray to black ruff, flight, and tail feathers. The head and neck are bald, with the skin color varying, including yellow, orange, blue, purple, and red. The King Vulture has a very noticeable yellow fleshy caruncle on its beak.
