| Species ID | 040550 |
| Name | Turkey Vulture |
| Other Common Names | John CrowýDoctor John Crow |
| Category | 04 Birds |
| Phylum | |
| Subphylum | |
| Class | Aves |
| Subclass | Neornithes |
| Suborder | Ciconiae |
| Family | Cathartidae |
| Genus | Cathartes |
| Species | aura |
| Subspecies | aura |
| References | 1, 2, 54, 56 |
| Scientific Synonyms | Vultur aura - Linnaeus, 1758 |
54* The family Cathartidae is inserted in the suborder Ciconiae following the family Ciconiidae, being removed from the order Falconiformes on pp.98-100.
| Status Code | Status Translation | References |
| 2 | Resident, species present all year. | 46 |
| 3 | Winter visitor - migrant. | 55 |
| 2 | Resident, species present all year. | 55 |
| 13 | Apparently secure in Belize | 53 |
| 271 | Common: high density, likely to be seen in many places | 53 |
| 2 | Resident, species present all year. | 3 |
| 518 | PIF-2 Pri. 8, most winter n. Mexico | 48 |
| 554 | PIF Trend: Possible Increase | 48 |
| 95 | U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty | 44 |
| DISTRICT | References |
| Belize, Belize | 6 |
| Cayo, Belize | 5 |
| Corozal, Belize | 19 |
| Orange Walk, Belize | 9 |
| Stann Creek, Belize | 8 |
| Toledo, Belize | 4 |
| Administrative Unit | Occurrence | Abundance | Temporal | References |
| Government land | Sighting | Unknown, insufficient data | December | 59 |
| Bacalar Chico National Park | Sighting | Unknown, insufficient data | October | 58 |
| Guanacaste National Park | Sighting | October | 57 | |
| Town or Village, see comments. | Sighting | October | 57 | |
| Freshwater Creek Forest Reserve | Dry season (Jan-May) | 19 | ||
| Manatee Forest Reserve | Sighting | Common | Dry season (Jan-May) | 12 |
| Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve | Sighting | Wet season (June-December) | 29 | |
| Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve | Common | 5 | ||
| Chiquibul Forest Reserve | Sighting | Common | Dry season (Jan-May) | 13 |
| Chiquibul Forest Reserve | Common | Permanent Resident (Year-round) | 25 | |
| Chiquibul Forest Reserve | Common | Permanent Resident (Year-round) | 26 | |
| Chiquibul Forest Reserve | 34 | |||
| Chiquibul Forest Reserve | 35 | |||
| Mango Creek Forest Reserve | Sighting | Dry season (Jan-May) | 41 | |
| Shipstern Nature Reserve | Sighting | Dry season (Jan-May) | 24 | |
| Shipstern Nature Reserve | 40 | |||
| Rio Bravo Conservation Area | Wet season (June-December) | 32 | ||
| Rio Bravo Conservation Area | Sighting | Common | Dry season (Jan-May) | 46 |
| Rio Bravo Conservation Area | Sighting | 41 | ||
| Gallon Jug | Sighting | Dry season (Jan-May) | 30 | |
| Gallon Jug | Sighting | Permanent Resident (Year-round) | 29 | |
| Gallon Jug | Sighting | Wet season (June-December) | 9 | |
| Gallon Jug | Sighting | 41 | ||
| Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary | Wet season (June-December) | 34 | ||
| Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary | Sighting | 41 | ||
| Guanacaste National Park | 31 | |||
| Tapir Mtn. Nature Reserve | 38 | |||
| Chiquibul National Park | 34 | |||
| Chiquibul National Park | 35 | |||
| Chiquibul National Park | 7 | |||
| Bladen Nature Reserve | Common | 21 | ||
| Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary | Dry season (Jan-May) | 8 | ||
| Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary | 45 | |||
| Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary (Private) | Sighting | Wet season (June-December) | 22 | |
| Burdon Canal Nature Reserve | Sighting | Common | Dry season (Jan-May) | 11 |
| Community Baboon Sanctuary | Wet season (June-December) | 33 | ||
| Community Baboon Sanctuary | 34 | |||
| Community Baboon Sanctuary | 39 | |||
| Hidden Valley & Falls (Bull Run) | Sighting | Common | Dry season (Jan-May) | 15 |
| Hidden Valley & Falls (Bull Run) | 50 | |||
| Lamanai Archaeological Reserve | 23 | |||
| Altun Ha Archaeological Reserve | Sighting | Dry season (Jan-May) | 49 | |
| Caracol Archaeological Reserve | Wet season (June-December) | 17 | ||
| Mussel Creek Drainage (Proposed) | Dry season (Jan-May) | 18 | ||
| Mussel Creek Drainage (Proposed) | 6 | |||
| Private land, see comments | Sighting | Common | Dry season (Jan-May) | 10 |
| Private land, see comments | Sighting | Common | Dry season (Jan-May) | 16 |
| Private land, see comments | Sighting | Dry season (Jan-May) | 41 | |
| Private land, see comments | Sighting | Wet season (June-December) | 41 | |
| Private land, see comments | Dry season (Jan-May) | 20 | ||
| Private land, see comments | Dry season (Jan-May) | 4 | ||
| Private land, see comments | 27 | |||
| Private land, see comments | 34 | |||
| Private land, see comments | 36 | |||
| Private land, see comments | 37 | |||
| Private land, see comments | Collected as voucher. | 51 | ||
| Government land | Dry season (Jan-May) | 28 | ||
| Government land | 36 | |||
| Government land | Sighting | 14 | ||
| Monkey River Special Development Area | Sighting | Wet season (June-December) | 43 |
| Hydrologic Unit Distribution | References |
| New River Lagoon | 46 |
| Belize River | 39 |
| Roaring Creek | 38 |
| Macal River | 35 |
| Bladen Branch | 21 |
| Belize River | 10 |
| Macal River | 5 |
| Cox's Lagoon | 6 |
| Mullins River | 12 |
| Mussel Creek | 18 |
| Sittee River | 20 |
| Sibun River | 22 |
| New River | 23 |
| Raspaculo River | 25 |
| ELEVATION Association | References |
| 1-200 m | 59 |
| 1-200 m | 58 |
| 1-200 m | 57 |
| 1-200 m | 41 |
| 1-200 m | 46 |
| 1-200 m | 47 |
| 1-200 m | 49 |
| 1-200 m | 51 |
| 201-400 m | 41 |
| 401-600 m | 50 |
| QUAD Distribution | References |
| 16 30' to 16 45'; 88 30' to 88 45' | 59 |
| 17 52'35" to 18 11'30"; 87 49' to 88 03' | 58 |
| 17 00' to 17 15'; 88 45' to 89 00' | 57 |
| 17 15' to 17 30'; 88 30' to 88 45' | 57 |
| 17 15' to 17 30'; 88 45' to 89 00' | 57 |
| 17 30' to 17 45'; 88 10' to 88 30' | 57 |
| 17 45' to 18 00'; 88 30' to 88 45' | 23 |
| 17 45' to 18 00'; 88 15' to 88 30' | 34 |
| 17 30' to 17 45'; 89 00' to 89 15' | 49 |
| 17 30' to 17 45'; 88 45' to 89 00' | 29 |
| 17 30' to 17 45'; 88 30' to 88 45' | 32 |
| 17 30' to 17 45'; 88 10' to 88 30' | 41 |
| 17 30' to 17 45'; 88 00' to 88 15' | 47 |
| 17 15' to 17 30'; 88 45' to 89 00' | 9 |
| 17 15' to 17 30'; 88 30' to 88 45' | 47 |
| 17 15' to 17 30'; 88 10' to 88 30' | 33 |
| 17 15' to 17 30'; 88 00' to 88 10' | 36 |
| 17 00' to 17 15'; 89 00' to 89 15' | 37 |
| 17 00' to 17 15'; 88 45' to 89 00' | 39 |
| 17 00' to 17 15'; 88 30' to 88 45' | 41 |
| 17 00' to 17 15'; 88 00' to 88 30' | 46 |
| 16 45' to 17 00'; 89 00' to 89 15' | 34 |
| 16 45' to 17 00'; 88 45' to 89 00' | 36 |
| 18 15' to 18 30'; 88 00' to 88 15' | 47 |
| 16 45' to 17 00'; 88 30' to 88 45' | 9 |
| 16 45' to 17 00'; 88 15' to 88 30' | 11 |
| 16 30' to 16 45'; 89 00' to 89 15' | 10 |
| 16 30' to 16 45'; 88 45' to 89 00' | 31 |
| 16 30' to 16 45'; 88 30' to 88 45' | 34 |
| 16 30' to 16 45'; 88 15' to 88 30' | 41 |
| 16 15' to 16 30'; 88 30' to 88 45' | 47 |
| 18 00' to 18 15'; 88 30' to 88 45' | 6 |
| 16 15' to 16 30'; 88 15' to 88 30' | 11 |
| 16 00' to 16 15'; 89 00' to 89 15' | 11 |
| 16 00' to 16 15'; 88 45' to 89 00' | 34 |
| 15 50' to 16 00'; 88 50' to 89 15' | 16 |
| 18 00' to 18 15'; 88 15' to 88 30' | 15 |
| 17 45' to 18 00'; 89 00' to 89 15' | 38 |
| 17 45' to 18 00'; 88 45' to 89 00' | 47 |
| Holdridge Life Zone Distribution | References |
| Subtropical wet | 59 |
| Subtropical moist | 58 |
| Tropical moist-transition to Subtropical | 57 |
| Subtropical moist | 57 |
| Tropical moist-transition to Subtropical | 47 |
| Tropical moist-transition to Subtropical | 41 |
| Tropical moist-transition to Subtropical | 38 |
| Subtropical wet | 51 |
| Subtropical wet | 45 |
| Subtropical wet | 41 |
| Subtropical moist | 49 |
| Subtropical moist | 47 |
| Subtropical moist | 46 |
| Subtropical moist | 41 |
| Subtropical moist | 40 |
| Subtropical moist | 39 |
| Subtropical Lower Montane wet | 50 |
Comments on Distribution
46* Common in Broadleaf forest, Common in Scrub.
59* Las Sierritas, Toledo District.
58* Bacalar Chico National Park.
57* Ladyville. Oct. 18, 1998.
Guanacaste National Park. Oct. 12, 1998.
St. Matthews Village. Oct. 15, 1998.
Road from Teakettle Village to Pook's Hill. Oct. 4, 1998.
Pook's Hill. Oct. 4, 1998.
55* Common northern semideciduous moist forest.
Common southern moist-wet evergreen broadleaf forests.
Common Mtn. Pine Ridge/savannas on poor soil.
Common coastal/low-lands savannas, inc. marshy areas.
Common mangroves lowlands & coastal beaches.
Common cayes inc. Ambergris.
Rare sub-tropical lower montane forest.
3* Common in northern hardwood forests, common in southern hardwood
forests, common in the Mountain Pine Ridge, common in coastal savannahs,
common in mangroves & beaches along coastal mainland, fewer than five
records in cayes inc. Ambergris.
38* NE portion TMNR, base camp Pook's Hill
37* Big Falls Rice Farm
36* Airport Camp; Big Falls Rice Farm; Blue Creek
35* Guacamallo Bridge
28* Belize City
27* Gold Button Ranch
21* Forest Hill; Uncommon at Richardson Crk. & Bladen Br. upstream to
Calera Caves; lower Quebrada de Oro & Bladen from Calera to Hellgate
20* Possum Point Biological Station
16* Sighted at or within 5 mile radius of Chaa Creek Cottages
13* Road and Los Cuevis Camp
10* Banana Bank Ranch
5* Francelia Camp and Rubber Camp
| HABITAT | References |
| TERRESTRIAL | 38 |
| Forest Type Associations | Seral Stage | Canopy Closure | References |
| Broadleaf Forest Rich in Lime-loving Species; Sapote-Mahogany Forest | mature tree | 41-70% | 40 |
| Coastal Formations | all stages | 0-40% | 40 |
| Coastal Formations | all stages | 0-40% | 40 |
| Broadleaf Forest Rich in Lime-loving Species; Chiquebul-Bullhoof Forest | mature tree | 71-100% | 38 |
| Land Use/Land Cover Associations | References |
| Cropland and Pasture | 52 |
| Mixed Forest Land | 50 |
| Wamil or second growth | 46 |
| Mixed Forest Land | 46 |
| Streams and Canals | 45 |
| Pine ridge and savanna | 45 |
| Highland forest & elfin shrub | 45 |
| Wamil or second growth | 45 |
| Transitional Areas | 45 |
| Evergreen Forest Land | 45 |
| Protection | 40 |
| Protection | 38 |
| Trophic |
| SCAVENGER |
References on Trophic Level
52
| Lifestage | Food Item Consumed | Part of Food Item | |
| Adult | Carrion | Adult stage |
Comments on General Food Habits
52* For Cathartidae: Food almost exclusively carrion.
| References/Lifestage | Reference Numbers |
| References/Lifestage | Reference Numbers |
| References/Result | Reference Numbers |
1 A.O.U. 1983. Checklist of North American Birds. 6th Ed. 2 A.O.U. 1985, 1987, 1989. 35th-37th Supplements. 3 Wood, D.S.,R. C. Leberman, and D. Weyer. 1986. Checklist of Birds of Belize. Carnegie Museum of Natural History Special Publication 12. 4 Matola, S., 1990. The Dolores Expedition, January 27 - February 3, 1990. Unpublished report. 5 Miller, B.W.; C.M. Miller. 1992. Preliminary Avian Survey of the Upper Macal River: Rubber Camp and Francelia Camp, pp.55-63. in Macal River Hydroelectric Development Environmental Impact Assessment Rubber Camp and Chalillo Schemes Pre-feasibility Study - Draft Environmental Appendix. Vol. II of III 6 Hunt, H. R., J. Tamarack. 1992. Cox Lagoon Crocodile Preserve. Unpub. report. pp.4-8 7 Matola, S., ed. 1992. The Maya Divide Expedition 1-15 May. Unpub. report 8 Matola, S., ed. 1990. The Cockscomb Basin Expedition Report June 11-18. Unpublished report. 9 Miller, B. W., 1994. Belize Christmas Bird Counts, Twenty Year Summary. in prep. 10 Duncan, M., W. Duncan. 1993. Banana Bank, Nov. 1, Checklist provided in lit. 11 Miller, B., C. Miller. 1993. Preliminary Avian Survey of Burdon Canal Nature Reserve. Unpublished report for the Forest Department 12 Miller, C., B. Miller. 1994. Avian Studies in the Upper Mullins River Basin, Feb. and May. Unpublished Report. 13 Miller, B., C. Miller. 1992. Biodiversity Reconnaissance in Chiquibul National Park, 13-19 July. Unpublished report. 14 Miller, B., C. Miller. 1992. Biodiversity Reconnaissance in Chiquibul National Park, 13-19 July. Unpublished report. 15 Miller, B., Miller, C. 1992. Biodiversity Studies at Hidden Valley, 29 July - 7 August. Unpublished report. 16 Carnegie Ornithological Group and Mass Audubon Ornithological Group, compilers. 1993. Chaa Creek Bird List. Unpublished list. 17 Miller, B. W., C. M. Miller. 1994, Birds of Caracol, 1988 - 1993. in prep. 18 Miller, B., C. Miller. 1987. Conservation of a Critical Marsh and Lowland habitat, Mussel Creek drainage system, Belize, C.A. Report to NYZS/Wildlife Conservation Society. 19 Miller, C., B. Miller. 1994. Avian Surveys: Freshwater Creek Forest Reserve 1-10 March. Unpublished Report to the Forestry Dept. 20 Anon. 1993. Bird Checklist for Possum Point Biological Station, Sittee River, Belize 21 Brokaw, N. L. V., T. L. Lloyd-Evans. 1987. The Bladen Branch Wilderness. p.38-42. Unpublished report. 22 Anon. 1994. Monkey Bay Checklist of Birds. Unpublished list. 23 Noble, B., B. Stewart, J. Dillon. 1994. Lamanai Bird List, Mid-October 1993 - 16 March 1994. 24 Meerman, J. 1993. Checklist of the Birds of the Shipstern Nature Reserve, Occasional Papers of the Belize Natural History Society. 2(10). pp. 71-81. 25 Mallory, E. 1991. Survey of Birds and their Habitats, of the Joint Services Scientific Expedition to Upper Raspaculo, Maya Mountains, Belize. 26 Mallory, E. 1993. Birds of the Upper Raspaculo, Belize: JSSEUR II. Unpublished report. 27 Platt, S. 1993. Wildlife Survey of Gold Button Ranch, Belize. Unpublished report. 28 McDuffie, P. 1993. Personal Bird List for Belize: September 1, 1989 - December 15, 1993. Unpublished list. 29 Russell, S. M. 1964. A Distributional Study of the Birds of British Honduras. Ornithological Monographs No. 1, A.O.U. 30 Miller, B., C. Miller. 1994. A working checklist of the birds of Gallon Jug. Unpublished list. 31 Robbins, C. S., 1987. Birds recorded at Guanacaste National Park. Unpublished list. 32 Anon. 1994 (August). Working Checklist, Birds of Rio Bravo Conservation Management Area. Unpublished list. 33 O'Connell, S. 1987. in Horwich, R. H. and J. Lyon. The Community Baboon Sanctuary, A Guide Book. Orangu-tan Press, Gays Mills, WI. pp. 113. 34 Counsell, D.J.R., B. Etheridge. 1986. RAFOS Expedition to Belize. Unpub- lished report. 35 Barlow, S. C., G. B. Caddick. 1989. Report on the Status of the Scarlet Macaw, Ara macao, in Belize, Central America. Unpublished report. 36 Hallchurch, T.T., compiler. 1982. Exercise King Vulture Belize 23 Feb.- 16 March. Unpub. report for the British Army Bird Watching Society. 37 Jenkins, P. G. 1982. The Royal Air Force Ornithological Society Belize Expedition, 1981. 80.pp Unpublished report. 38 Miller, C.M., B.W. Miller. 1994. Preliminary Faunal Surveys at Tapir Mt. Nature Reserve, 27 Nov.-5 Dec., 1994. Unpublished report for BAS. 39 James, D., J. Bider. 1993. Bird List: Community Baboon Sanctuary, 1989- 1993 (derived from banding & census data, field notes). Unpublished data 40 Quigley, H. B., B. W. Miller, C. M. Miller. 1995. Mammal Survey, Shipstern Nature Reserve, April 4-13, 1995. Unpublished report for ITCF. 41 Robbins, Chandler. 1996. U.S.F.& Wildlife Service Wintering Bird Surveys for Belize. Unpublished data provided by C. Robbins. 42 Meerman, J., T. Boomsma. 1995. False Sittee Point, Stann Creek District, Belize. Biological and Physical Survey 1995. p. 19. 43 Meerman, J.C. ed. 1995. Monkey River Special Development Area Stann Creek District, Belize. Belize Tropical Forest Studies Publication #5. Appendix: Bird List. Unpublished Technical report for B.E.S.T. 44 Title 50 Code of Federal Regulations, Subchapter B., Part 10.13: List of Migratory Birds. U.S. Government Printing Office: 1985 0-488-794. (Lists all species of migratory birds protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703-711). 45 Kamstra, J. May 1987. An Ecological Survey of the Cockscomb Basin, Belize. Masters Thesis. York University, Ontario, Canada 46 Vallely, Andrew C. and A.A. Whitman. 1997. The Birds of Hill Bank, northern Belize. Cotinga. 8:39-49. 47 Miller, B. W. 1997. Belize Christmas Bird Count Summary 1970-1995. Data from American Birds Vol. 28-50 including 1973-1996. 48 Working Group, Partners in Flight. 1992. Needs Assessment: Monitoring Migratory Birds. Report for Neotropical Migratory Bird Program 49 ROM. 1997. Royal Ontario Museum, Division of Birds, Holdings of Belize specimens through Jan. 1, 1997. Provided by Brad Millen. 50 Miller, B. W., C. M. Miller. 1992. Avian Studies at Hidden Valley. Unpublished report for Mt. Pleasant Ltd. 51 Panza, R. 1997. Carnegie Museum, Division of Birds, Holdings of Belize specimens through Jun. 1, 1997. 52 Howell, S. N. G., S. Webb. 1995. A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America. New York. Oxford University Press. 53 Miller, B.W., C.M. Miller. 1997. Avian Risk Assessment for Belize, Species at Risk and of Conservation Concern. Report to Programme for Belize/TNC Wings of America Program. 54 A.O.U. 1997. Forty-first Supplement to the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds. The Auk. 114 (3):542-552. 55 Garcia, J., S. Matola, M. Meadows, and C. Wright. 1994. A Checklist of the Birds of Belize. WWF-US. 35p. 56 Young, W. Ford. nd. Local Birds Names. Belize Audubon Society. 57 Balderamos, P. 1998. Personal bird list compiled during Belize Audubon Society Bird Fest October, 1998. 58 Meadows, M. 1995. Bacalar Chico Bird Report, Ambergris Caye in International Tropical Conservation Foundation Bacalar Chico, Interim Report, April-December 1994. M. Dotherow compiler. 59 Meerman, J.C. 1997. Faunal Study of Las Sierritas, Toledo District, Belize.