Photo: Ianaré Sévi / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) — Birds of Prey of North America.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) is a member of the Cathartidae family found in Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Adults weigh 1.9 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Accipitriformes
- Family Cathartidae New World Vultures
- Genus Coragyps
- Species atratus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.9 kg
- Diet
- Scavengers
- Family
- Cathartidae
- Order
- Accipitriformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black Vulture feeds largely by scavenging carrion.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Black Vulture is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) is a member of the Cathartidae family, within the order Accipitriformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America. Its distribution covers NA, MA, SA widespread.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.9 kg, with a wing length of about 41 cm and a tail of around 18 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 21.2 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black Vulture?
The Black Vulture is a very large bird that weighs around 1.9 kg.
Where does the Black Vulture live?
The Black Vulture is found across Central America & Caribbean, North America and South America with a range covering NA, MA, SA widespread, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the Black Vulture belong to?
The Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) belongs to the Cathartidae family, in the order Accipitriformes.
What does the Black Vulture eat?
The Black Vulture feeds largely by scavenging carrion.
Does the Black Vulture migrate?
The Black Vulture is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Black Vulture endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Black Vulture make?
1 real field recording of the Black Vulture — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black Vulture's range?
The Black Vulture has a mapped global range of about 21.2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
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Guides for this bird
Black Vulture vs Turkey Vulture: How to Tell Them Apart
How to tell a Black Vulture from a Turkey Vulture — size, range, family and status compared side by side, with links to each bird’s full ID guide.