List of Birds of Massachusetts - New World Vultures

New World Vultures

Order: Accipitriformes. 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. In Massachusetts, two species have been recorded.

  • Black Vulture, Coragyps atratus (n)
  • Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura (n)

Read more about this topic:  List Of Birds Of Massachusetts

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