Which vultures are there in Brazil? Discover five species and their differences

Publication about vultures surprises veterinary student A publication about the five species of vultures found in Brazil exceeded 10 thousand hits on social media and surprised the author of the content, veterinary medicine student Jean Marquesim. A 6th semester student at Centro Universitário Padre Anchieta, in Jundiaí (SP), Marquesim says that he did not expect such an impact when sharing information about these birds. The student has a strong connection with the area of ??wild and exotic animals and intends to specialize in the segment. ? Also follow Terra da Gente on Instagram "I chose veterinary medicine because I have always been interested in animals, but during my degree I discovered an increasing identification with wild fauna, especially birds. I also had practical experiences that contributed to this interest and, currently, I am trying to expand my knowledge through research, academic projects and activities related to conservation", explains Jean Marquesim. Based on bibliographical research, scientific articles and different specialized sources about Brazilian birds, the student gathered information about vulture species, such as popular and scientific names, conservation status and geographic distribution. "The purpose of my publication was to bring more simplified and accessible content, precisely because my audience is quite diverse. So, I tried not to go into a very technical level of in-depth, but to focus mainly on presenting the diversity of vulture species that inhabit Brazilian territory, their characteristics and their respective conservation status", points out Marquesim. The main objective was to present to the public the variety of species existing in Brazil. More than sharing scientific information, the publication sought to awaken curiosity and show that vultures have different characteristics, behaviors and relationships with the environment. "Vultures are birds that many people despise or simply have no interest in getting to know. And, when I started researching more about them, I discovered that we have different species of vultures that inhabit Brazilian territory and that many people don't even know they exist. Furthermore, I discovered that we have vultures that completely deviate from that "all-black vulture" stereotype. Some species have very different colors and very interesting characteristics, such as the king vulture, which has an extremely colorful head", points out the veterinary student. Yellow-headed Vulture (Cathartes burrovianus) dosvenadas / iNaturalist See more news from Terra da Gente, on g1: RARE: Unreleased video shows native bees cleaning the nostril of a mountain eagle in MG ENVIRONMENT: Mamirauá Reserve turns 30 and consolidates conservation model PROTECTION: Tambaqui is 'smaller and rarer'; understand what placed it on the list of threatened species Five species of vultures in Brazil Vultures are important birds for the functioning of ecosystems. Associated with necrophagy, they feed mainly on carcasses and remains of dead animals and are among the only terrestrial vertebrates that are strictly scavengers. Through this eating habit, they accelerate the decomposition of carcasses and contribute to the recycling of nutrients. They also help reduce the organic matter available to certain infectious agents. Red-headed Vulture (Cathartes aura) panza_rayada / iNaturalist In the survey, Jean Marquesim identified five species of vultures present in Brazil: Black-headed vulture — Coragyps atratus Red-headed vulture — Cathartes aura Yellow-headed vulture — Cathartes burrovianus Wood vulture — Cathartes melambrotus King vulture — Sarcoramphus papa According to the survey carried out by the student, the species have characteristics in common, mainly the habit of feeding on carcasses, but they also have differences. The black vulture, for example, is extremely adaptable and can be found in rural and urban areas, including close to houses, where it uses food and animal remains. Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) trekman / iNaturalist The Black Vulture is more closely related to forest environments. It occurs mainly in the Amazon region, in dryland forests, floodplains and riverside forests. The yellow-headed vulture is associated with environments such as the banks of rivers and lakes, swampy areas and fields. The king vulture, in turn, is mainly related to forests with clearings and savannah areas, being more common in the North, Northeast and Central-West regions. Despite sharing characteristics, therefore, each species has a different relationship with the environment. "I found many interesting things. One of them is the extremely developed sense of smell of some species. The red-headed vulture, for example, can locate carcasses by smell and is often one of the first vultures to reach the food. Another curiosity is that vultures do not vocalize. I also found the behavior of the king vulture very interesting. It is generally solitary or lives in pairs, but can appear alongside other species during feeding. In some situations, it uses the presence of other vultures as a kind of indication of the location of a carcass. And there is also a very interesting difference between the species related to flight and habitat. Wood Vulture (Cathartes melambrotus) alanvannorman / iNaturalist Food goes beyond carcasses The student's survey also shows that vultures' diet is not restricted to carcasses. The yellow-headed vulture can consume carrion, but it also captures small vertebrates during low-flying flights. The black vulture is quite opportunistic and, in addition to carcasses, can consume small vertebrates, eggs and even live animals that are present.