#cathartiformes

[herpsandbirds]

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), family Cathartidae, order Cathartiformes, FL, USA

photograph by Kathryn Young

[inaturalist-unofficial]

turkey vulture Cathartes aura and black vulture Coragyps atratus Palm Beach County, Florida, United States 6 September 2025

spot the differences! images © Thomas A Smith (CC-BY-NC)

[iridescent-wildlife]

Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus). Family Cathartidae, order Cathartiformes.

What a kind little guy to show me exactly where I need to go!

Brazoria NWR, Texas, USA. April 2026.

[snototter]

Mating California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) in Monterey County, California, USA

by ungerlord

[deadbirdsdaily]

Condor wing with goose taxidermy for scale!

I think this a Cackling Goose which is closely related to a Canada Goose but slightly smaller, so it might make the wing look a little bigger than it actually is, but it is a very big wing.

I had to skip a week at the museum last week to catch up on class work (and prepping for a conference workshop I’m leading at the end of March!!!), but I finished up the condor today, so more condor content will be forthcoming!

[howlhawk]

condors

navajo bridge, marble canyon, grand canyon national park

[birds--daily]

Can you draw a California condor???? They're v v important to me! Love your artwork btw- do you sell it anywhere?

day 31

today's bird is the california condor!

to answer your question about selling my art, i don't currently, but if there was enough interest i would definitely consider making merch! i just don't know much about opening a shop 😭 so if anyone has experience and could help me out that would be lovely :0) maybe i'll hold an interest check sometime soon! anyways, onto the bird facts:

- the california condor is the largest land bird in north america and one of the largest flying birds in the world

- fossil records of california condors can be found all the way back to the pleistocene, 40,000 years ago!

- condors can survive 1-2 weeks without eating

- in the 1980s, the population of california condors fell to only 22 individuals, but is now up to about 300 wild individuals and 160+ in captivity

[haveyouseenthisbirdpoll]

Have you seen a Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura)?

Yes, in nature

Yes, in captivity

No, only in pictures/taxidermy/I've only heard of it

No, and I have never heard of this bird

No, but I have heard one

I might have/I'm not sure

Voting ended onJul 2, 2024

photo source