Dante
Dante is a Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus). He was “rescued” by some well-meaning people when he was a chick and is a human imprint. That makes him non-releasable and is likely the cause of his annual feather plucking. Dante came to us in 2005.
Dante broke off the tip of his upper beak. After the injury he wore a temporary prosthesis for a while to give his beak time to heal, but the loss is permanent. The hooked portion of his beak will not grow back.
Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) Facts
Black vultures are large soaring birds. They have a black body with an unfeathered gray and wrinkled head. In flight you can see whitish tips on the underside of the wings. They frequently travel in larges flocks.
Size
Length: 55.7-68.6 cm (22.2-27 in.)
Wing span: 137.2-142.4 cm (4.5-5 ft.)
Weight: 1814-2268 g (4.0-5.0 lbs.)
Habitat
The Black Vulture’s range is expanding northward. They can be found in lowlands, along rivers, and in open habitat. They adapt well to human habitats like fishing piers and garbage dumps.
Diet
Primarily scavengers of dead animals, but may kill and eat small animals.
Nesting
Black vultures do not build nests. They lay their eggs in places like stump cavities, caves, or the base of a tree. Usually two eggs that hatch in 38-45 days.
Life Expectancy
In the wild: up to 16 years.
In captivity: up to 30 years