New World Vultures

Order: Ciconiiformes

Family: Cathartidae

The New World vultures are not closely related to Old World vultures, but superficially resemble them because of convergent evolution. Like the Old World vultures, they are scavengers. However, unlike Old World vultures, which find carcasses by sight, New World vultures have a good sense of smell with which they locate carcasses. There are 7 species world wide, all found only in the Americas, 3 North American species and 2 Florida species: The Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) and the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura).