Amazon River Monsters come in all shapes and sizes. But not all of them are in the water. Some are in the air above the River, like the Vulture. There are three main types of Vultures in the Amazon region of Brazil. They are the Turkey Vulture, the King Vulture, and the Black Vulture. All of them are birds of prey who like to feast on the dead bodies of just about anything. For the most part you see them riding the thermals of warm air that rise from the jungle. But one thing I have never seen before, is the crazy dive-bombing they do. As far as I know, this has never been captured on video before. Our local guide told us the birds do this when something threatens their nest but to me it looked like a form of play because they kept doing it over and over. The thing that always gets me about the Amazon is that what appears tranquil and inviting can be very deceptive...like the day I was fishing with my friend Steve Townson and wanted to go for a swim... Steve took a little piece of bread and threw it in the water. Within seconds, it was devoured by things I couldn't even see. Never the Less, it quickly changed my mind about going in the water. THE TURKEY VULTURE The Turkey Vulture also known in some North American regions as the turkey buzzard (or just buzzard), and in some areas of the Caribbean as the John crow or carrion crow,[2] is the most widespread of the New World vultures. One of three species in the genus Cathartes, in the family Cathartidae, the Turkey Vulture ranges from southern Canada to the southernmost tip of South America. It, like all New World vultures, is not related to the Old World vultures of Europe, Africa, and Asia. It looks nearly identical because of convergent evolution, where natural selection similarly shapes unrelated animals adapting to the same conditions. The Turkey Vulture is a scavenger and feeds almost exclusively on carrion. It finds its food using its keen eyes and sense of smell, flying low enough to detect the gases produced by the beginnings of the process of decay in dead animals. It has very few natural predators.[7] In the United States of America, the vulture receives legal protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. THE KING VULTURE The King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa) is a large bird found in Central and South America. It is a member of the New World vulture family Cathartidae. This vulture lives predominantly in tropical lowland forests stretching from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. 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. This vulture is a scavenger and it often makes the initial cut into a fresh carcass. It also displaces smaller New World vulture species from a carcass. King Vultures have been known to live for up to 30 years in captivity. King Vultures were popular figures in the Mayan codices as well as in local folklore and medicine. Although currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, they are decreasing in number, due primarily to habitat loss. THE BLACK VULTURE The Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) also known as the American Black Vulture, is a bird in the New World vulture family whose range extends from the southeastern United States to Central Chile and Uruguay in South America. Although a common and widespread species, it has a somewhat more restricted distribution than its compatriot, the Turkey Vulture, which breeds well into Canada and south to Tierra del Fuego. Despite the similar name and appearance, this species is unrelated to the Eurasian Black Vulture. The latter species is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae (which includes eagles, hawks, kites and harriers), whereas the American species is a New World vulture. It is the only extant member of the genus Coragyps, which is in the family Cathartidae. It inhabits relatively open areas which provide scattered forests or shrublands. With a wingspan of 1.5 m (5 ft) the Black Vulture is a large bird though relatively small for a vulture. It has black plumage, a featherless, grayish-black head and neck, and a short, hooked beak. The Black Vulture is a scavenger and feeds on carrion, but will also eat eggs or kill newborn animals.

• published: 01 Mar 2016
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