American Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
New World Vultures (Cathartidae) · Cathartiformes (Cathartiformes)
Play a quiz with American Black Vulture and similar species
View all photos, video and sound
Review needed
Birdr is a community-driven project, and many photos still need a human check. If you know this bird, you can help by reviewing its images.
Often mixed up with
In quizzes, players most often confuse American Black Vulture with these birds— either this species was picked by mistake, or the other way around.
| Species | Mix-ups |
|---|---|
| Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura | 3 |
| Roadside Hawk Rupornis magnirostris | 2 |
| Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa | 1 |
| California Condor Gymnogyps californianus | 1 |
| Purple Martin Progne subis | 1 |
Family
Cathartidae, commonly known as New World vultures and condors, are a family of birds of prey consisting of seven extant species in five genera. It includes five extant vultures and two extant condors found in the Americas. They are known as "New World" vultures to distinguish them from Old World vultures, with which the Cathartidae does not form a single clade despite the two being similar in appearance and behavior as a result of convergent evolution.
Order
Cathartiformes is a former order of scavenging birds which included the New World vultures and the now-extinct Teratornithidae. Unlike many Old World vultures, Cathartiformes lack talons and musculature in their feet suitable for seizing prey. In the past, they were considered to be a sister group to the storks of the order Ciconiiformes based on DNA–DNA hybridization and morphology.