Family: Cathartidae. (New World vulture).
Scientific Name: Cathartes burrovianus.
Common Names: Yellow-headed Vulture, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Savannah/Savanna Vulture.
Conservation Status: Rare.
Rescue & Recovery: None.
Geographical Range: From Vera Cruz and Mexico down to Argentina and Uruguay.
Habitat: Savannahs, grasslands and marshes.
Lesser Yellow-Headed Vulture
Physical Characteristics: A medium-sized vulture with black plumage which has a green shine. Whitish primary flight feathers and white or grey legs. head colours range from yellow to orange, being occasionally mixed with blue. The Lesser and Greater Yellow-headed Vultures have frequently been confused over the years and it was only in 1964 that they were officially recognised as a separate species. Of the two bird species the Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture is the smaller.
Food: Fish may form part an integral part of this vulture's diet and there is some evidence that some of these may be taken alive, probably when they become stranded in shallow water. Other than this, the Yellow-headed Vulture's diet is almost entirely carrion.
Reproduction: Little is known about the habits of this bird, though it nests in the cavities of trees.