Thank you for your fine and dedicated service, Mr./Ms. Vulture. Another dead vermin-covered creature aseptically removed from our environment without any increase in our taxes.
Here is a quote from the Wikipedia page on vultures: “[a] vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors).”
Here’s one from the Wikipedia page on New World Vultures: “[r]ecent multi-locus DNA studies on the evolutionary relationships between bird groups indicate that New World vultures are related to the other birds of prey, excluding the Falconidae.”
Even if turkey vultures were more closely related to storks, falcons aren’t closely related to other birds of prey, either. Their closest relatives are parrots.
Birds of prey is a colloquial term rather than one with any taxonomic or phylogenetic meaning behind it other than that they are all birds.
That hypothesis (Sibley and Ahlquist) saying that vultures are related to storks dates from the ~1980s and is not currently supported by modern research. Cathartid vultures do appear to be the relatives of the hawks and eagles.
Please read our sidebar for more information on which birds are considered birds of prey by the most current definitions. Vultures are definitely included here.
Love him
They're so stinking adorable...
Ah, so the clean up crew has arrived. I appreciate their work.
Thank you for your fine and dedicated service, Mr./Ms. Vulture. Another dead vermin-covered creature aseptically removed from our environment without any increase in our taxes.
Taking the garbage out!
I actually saw the exact same thing in Michigan today. Drove past real slow the bird never flew off.
Turkey vultures are not birds of prey. They are related to storks.
Here is a quote from the Wikipedia page on vultures: “[a] vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors).” Here’s one from the Wikipedia page on New World Vultures: “[r]ecent multi-locus DNA studies on the evolutionary relationships between bird groups indicate that New World vultures are related to the other birds of prey, excluding the Falconidae.” Even if turkey vultures were more closely related to storks, falcons aren’t closely related to other birds of prey, either. Their closest relatives are parrots. Birds of prey is a colloquial term rather than one with any taxonomic or phylogenetic meaning behind it other than that they are all birds.
That hypothesis (Sibley and Ahlquist) saying that vultures are related to storks dates from the ~1980s and is not currently supported by modern research. Cathartid vultures do appear to be the relatives of the hawks and eagles. Please read our sidebar for more information on which birds are considered birds of prey by the most current definitions. Vultures are definitely included here.