Our Mighty King Vulture
A TRUE KING OF THE JUNGLE
El Zopilote Rey. Condor Real. Cozcaquauhtli. Going by many names all of which convey respect (except for the ‘white cow’ nickname in Paraguay), this mysterious, elusive and breathtaking bird of Mayan & Aztec legends soars silently over our Costa Ballena homes. Most people in our area have seen more big cats than King Vultures – even Ben has only glimpsed this bird three times in nearly 20 years, twice in the thick of the jungle and once as the vulture buzzed his home and promptly disappeared.
So we can agree that most people do not come to Costa Rica for vulture watching, and majority are not even aware of the King Vulture’s existence. BUT you can be sure that when this bird makes an appearance, people stop dead in their tracks. As wrong as it may sounds to say that a vulture is a breathtaking animal, we must go by evidence. The King Vulture’s massive size, contrasting black-and-white coloring, & the brilliant red, orange, yellow, purple, black and white head (not to mention the fleshy orange caruncles) conspire to create a fascinating and imposing animal.
WHAT’S IN A NAME
In many languages and across many countries, the words ‘king’ or ‘royal’ is used in the name. King Vulture in Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica and Venezuela, Royal Vulture in Nicaragua, King of the Buzzards in Panama and Colombia, Royal Crow in Paraguay and Royal Condor in Argentina.
The scientific name of the bird is Sarcoramphus papa – the ‘papa’ part was given to the vulture as a reference to the Latin word ‘papa’ which mean ‘Bishop‘ – alluding to the plumage resembling the clothing worn by Bishops. So, being named after the head of the monarchy or a highly placed member of the diocese, the King Vulture commands respect as magnificent, towering bird that will draw attention to itself solely by the force of its presence.
There are four species of vultures in Costa Rica – and the King Vulture rules them all. Although not aggressive, King Vultures are respected enough to be left alone while they feed, only allowing other species of vultures to join the feast after the King Vulture had a good fill.
THEY GOT THE SIZE…AND THE BITE
The birds have earned the Royal title – for a few reasons. Not in the least, they tower above other vulture species and, in the new world, only two species of the Condor beat them in size and might. The birds can stand at 0.8 m or 32 inches tall, with a wingspan up to 2m or 7 feet and a weight of up to 4.5 kg or 10lbs. So they eat first, unless there is a Condor present – in that case, they eat second. But usually, their size means they eat first.
Second reason why the King Vulture eats first is its powerful bite. Their beaks feature a hook and are very large and sharp – combined with the much higher muscle mass driving the chomp, this means that they can get into a carcass that other vultures cannot. So they open up the feast by opening up the unfortunate animal with their mighty beaks and then, rightfully, help themselves to the best bits. Once the carcass is opened, their raspy tongues help them tear meat from the bones.
WHAT ARE THOSE ORANGE THINGS HANGNIG OVER THE VULTURES’ BEAKS?
Many birds have fleshy growths around their faces, often hanging from their heads or necks – most famous being the domestic chickens. These features are called ‘caruncles’ and they are thought to serve the purpose of attracting a mate. The King Vultures’ caruncle is in a very unusual spot, and it does not fully form until the bird reaches 4 years of age. It is thought that its purpose revolves around attracting a mate and conveying social status, although this has not been confirmed. So as of now, this can be considered to be a bit of a mystery.
WHY DO VULTURES HAVE BARE HEADS AND NECKS?
This is a very important adaptation. As vultures spend a lot of time with their heads fully insides the carcasses of animals, their heads and necks are exposed to rotting flesh and the associated bacteria. The bare skin prevents large buildups of material and allows the contamination to be washed off quite easily.
In addition, this adaptation also exposes the head and neck areas to the sterilizing effects of the sun. If those areas were covered by feathers, the feathers would quickly become festering breeding grounds for awful critters. Not to mention the smell!
A theory suggests that these bare areas also help the vultures with thermoregulation, as a way to release excess heat.
WHY DO VULTURES HAVE SUCH COLORFUL HEADS?
The bright and vivid coloring of the King Vultures’ heads is thought to, together with the caruncle, convey social status and help attract a partner. A bright caruncle and vivid head & neck colors = a vulture saying “I am healthy, important and in charge”. It has also been theorized that the colors help the vultures recognize each other from a great distance.
WHAT IS THAT BARE POUCH ON THEIR BREASTS?
The featherless pouch on the vultures’ breast is called a ‘crop’. It is a special pouch where the vultures store undigested food. Sometimes, if the bird needs to fly away in a hurry but is heavy from a big meal, it will empty this pouch so it becomes light enough to fly. Think of it as a temporary storage unit – the bird may still digest the food stored there when there is room in the stomach, but can also spit it out in a flash if there is an emergency.
THEIR DIET IS MUCH MORE VARIED THAN WE THINK!
We all know that vultures eat carrion – and the King Vultures feast on animals of all kinds including birds, mammals, reptiles and fish. In settled areas they prefer fallen livestock while in the wilds, anything goes. But when the food gets scarce, King Vultures have been known to kill smaller critters like lizards and chicks, newborn livestock, injured mammals. There are even reports of the vultures eating the fallen fruit of the Moriche Palm during particularly tough times.
A BIRD STEEPED IN MAYAN AND AZTEC LEGENDS
The Mayan Codices, which are pre-Columbian writings dictated by deities, mention the King Vulture more times than almost any other bird. Sometimes this bird is portrayed as a god with a human body but the head of a King Vulture. This particular incarnation is thought to carry messages between humans and various Mayan & Aztec deities.
The King Vulture is also associated with Cozcacuauhtli, the 13th day of the month in an Aztec calendar – a day of a long life, good counsel, and wisdom.
RANGE AND CONSERVATION
The vultures’ range extends from Mexico, across Central America and a large chunk of South America including the Amazon Basin and some higher areas of the Andes. The general southern border of its range is the Brazil and Paraguay / Uruguay /Argentina border area.
The King Vultures are thought to number between 10,000 to 100,000 in the wild, and the bird is currently not under any threats although poaching and habitat loss are known to be causing localized issues. Because the birds perch and fly verry high, it is often difficult to get an accurate count.
WILL YOU SEE A KING VULTURE?
If you keep your head up, and are lucky, you may catch a glimpse of the mighty King Vulture. I have seen one for the briefest of moments – the bird swooped past a bare ridge only to quickly disappear into the green valley below. An instant flash but enough time to note the enormous size of the animal and the black-and-white contrast of the bird’s body. If I were looking in another direction, I would have missed it completely. So keep your head up and your fingers crossed!
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