Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture
A species of Turkey and Yellow-headed Vultures, Also known as Savanna Vulture Scientific name : Cathartes burrovianus Genus : Turkey and Yellow-headed Vultures
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, A species of Turkey and Yellow-headed Vultures
Also known as:
Savanna Vulture
Botanical name: Cathartes burrovianus
Genus: Turkey and Yellow-headed Vultures
Content
Description General Info
Description
The lesser yellow-headed vulture is 53–66 cm (21–26 in) in length, with a wingspan of 150–165 cm (59–65 in) and a tail length of 19–24 cm (7.5–9.4 in). Its weight ranges from 0.95 to 1.55 kg (2.1 to 3.4 lb). Its plumage is black with a green sheen. The throat and the sides of the head are featherless. The head and neck are bare of feathers, and the skin is yellow, with a reddish forehead and nape and a gray-blue crown. The irises of its eyes are red, its legs are white, and its beak is flesh-colored. The eye has a single incomplete row of eyelashes on the upper lid and two rows on the lower lid. The tail is rounded and relatively short for a vulture; the tip of the closed wing extends beyond the tail. Immature lesser yellow-headed vultures have browner plumage, a dusky head, and a white nape. The beak is thick, rounded, and hooked at the tip. The front toes are long with small webs at their bases and are not adapted to grasping. The opening of the nostril is longitudinal, and the nostrils lack a septum. Like all New World vultures, the lesser yellow-headed vulture lacks a syrinx, and is therefore unable to make any sound other than a low hiss. It differs in appearance from the similar greater yellow-headed vulture in several ways. It is smaller and is less heavily built than the greater yellow-headed vulture and has a shorter, thinner tail. The plumage is browner than the greater yellow-headed vulture's dark, glossy black plumage. Its legs are lighter in color, and its head is more orange-tinged than the more yellow head of the greater yellow-headed vulture. Its flight is also less steady than that of the greater yellow-headed vulture. The lesser yellow-headed vulture also prefers to live in savannas, as opposed to the preferred forest habitat of the greater yellow-headed vulture. Besides the greater yellow-headed vulture, it is similar to the turkey vulture. 
Size
66 cm
Nest Placement
Ground
Feeding Habits
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture primarily scavenges on carrion, but also eats fish, reptiles, and insects. It forages by soaring over wetlands with a keen sense of smell to locate food, showing a unique preference for recently deceased prey over older carrion.
Habitat
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, typically inhabits open and diverse landscapes across broad tropical regions. These birds are frequently found in wet grasslands and marsh environments, where water bodies are abundant, as well as in dry field areas and areas with sparse tree coverage, such as clearings. Although less commonly, lesser Yellow-headed Vulture can also be observed within mangrove ecosystems. These habitats offer lesser Yellow-headed Vulture ample opportunity for foraging and are characteristic of their presence.
Dite type
Scavenger
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Behavior
The lesser yellow-headed vulture flies solitarily, with wings held in a dihedral position. It glides at a low altitude over wetlands while locating food, and perches on fence posts or on other low perches. When flying, it travels alone and is rarely found in groups. The flight of the lesser yellow-headed is an example of static soaring flight, which uses thermals to maintain altitude without the need to flap its wings. This vulture rarely soars high in the air, preferring low altitudes. This bird is believed to be somewhat migratory in response to the changes in water level where it lives. The lesser yellow-headed vulture, like other New World vultures, has the unusual habit of urohidrosis, in which it urinates or defecates on its legs to cool them by evaporation.
Distribution Area
It is found in Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, swamps, mangroves, and heavily degraded former forest. It may wander over dry fields and clearings. It is not generally found in high-altitude regions. This bird with its somehow crow-like aspect gave foot to the naming of the Quebrada de los Cuervos (Crows Ravine) in Uruguay, where they dwell together with the black vulture and the turkey vulture.
Species Status
The lesser yellow-headed vulture is a bird of Least Concern according to the IUCN, with an estimated global range of 7,800,000 km (3,000,000 sq mi) and a population of between 100,000 and 1,000,000 individuals. Its population trend appears to be stable.
Scientific Classification
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