New World vulture
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(Redirected from Cathartidae)
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The New World vulture family Cathartidae contains seven species found in North and South America. It includes five vultures and two condors.
New World vultures are not closely related to Old World vultures or other diurnal raptors, which are often classified in different orders. They resemble Old World vultures because of convergent evolution.
The five species of vulture are:
- Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
- Greater Yellow-headed Vulture Cathartes melambrotus
- Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture Cathartes burrovianus
- King Vulture Sarcorhamphus papa
- American Black Vulture Coragyps atratus
The Condors are
- Californian Condor Gymnogyps californianus
- Andean Condor Vultur gryphus
There is some debate over the scientific names of the Condors.
