Large vulture of the high Andes having black plumage and white neck ruff; Also called: Vultur gryphus.
A very large American vulture (Vultur gryphus) of the high Andes having the head and neck bare and the plumage dull black with a downy white neck ruff and white patches on the wings — called also Andean condor; california condor
Any of numerous carnivorous birds that hunt and kill other animals; SYN. raptor, raptorial bird.
A carnivorous bird (as a hawk, falcon, or vulture) that feeds wholly or chiefly on meat taken by hunting or on carrion
Nontechnical term for any hawks said to prey on poultry; SYN. hen hawk. chicken-hawk
ETYM Latin raptor, from rapere to ravish. Related to Rapid.
A bird of prey.
ETYM Old Eng. vultur, Latin vultur: cf. Old Fren. voltour, French vautour.
Any of various large diurnal birds of prey having naked heads and weak claws and feeding chiefly on carrion.
Any of various carrion-eating birds of prey with naked heads and necks and with keen senses of sight and smell. Vultures are up to 1 m/3.3 ft long, with wingspans of up to 3.5 m/11.5 ft. The plumage is usually dark, and the head brightly colored.
True vultures are placed in the family Accipitridae along with hawks and eagles and are found only in the Old World. American vultures are placed in a family of their own (Cathartidae) and include turkey vultures and condors. The vulture's eyes are adapted to give an overall view with a magnifying area in the center, enabling it to locate possible food sources and see the exact site in detail.
The Cape griffon vulture Gyps coprotheres, Africa’s second largest vulture after the lappet faced vulture Torgos tracheliotos, had only 4,400 breeding pairs 1993. Its infant mortality is 84%, so it takes each adult bird about 20 years to replace itself.
Heute von den meisten Ornithologen abgelehnte Bez., die für Greifvögel als Tag-R. u. Eulen als Nacht-R. angewendet wurde.