Black Vulture look-alikes

Key differences

The Turkey Vulture has a red, featherless head (adults) and a longer tail. In flight, its wings are held in a pronounced dihedral (deep V-shape), and it exhibits a teetering flight style. It lacks the white wing patches of the Black Vulture and has silvery flight feathers on the underside of the wings, contrasting with darker wing linings. Turkey Vultures rely heavily on their sense of smell to find carrion.

Key differences

The King Vulture is larger, with striking white plumage and black flight feathers. Its head is brightly colored (red, orange, yellow, purple) and featherless. Its range is more restricted to tropical lowlands of Central and South America, generally not overlapping with the northern extent of the Black Vulture's range in the U.S.