| **T**he only extant species in its genus, it is a new world vulture, sharing a common ancestor with the California Condor of genus //Gymnogyps//, the two having diverged perhaps some 10 million years ago, though known fossils belonging to the bird’s genus [including extinct species] date far later than this. Perhaps the most distinguished of the vultures - its main head is dark bluish, with patches of lighter blue, with yellow ornamentation above a reddish beak. Its neck is tinted with orange, yellow, and purple, with a bluish ‘mane’ of feathers. The body is more typical - plain white feathers, though the flight feathers of the wings and tail feathers are black. The exact origins of the bird's common name remain unclear - one theory refers to Mayan legend, where the bird was a 'king' between humans and gods - though another seems backed by an account by naturalist Charles Waterton - "//The king of the Vultures came too, and I observed that none of the common ones seemed inclined to begin breakfast until his majesty had finished. When he had consumed as much snake as nature informed him would do him good, he retired to the top of a high mora-tree, and then all the common Vultures fell to and made a hearty meal//." Referring to how smaller [common] vultures seemingly would not eat from a carcass before the larger [king] vulture had done so. Though it could also be that the vulture gained its name from its comparative size and colouration compared to other smaller, drab vultures of the Americas. The genus-name, //Sarcoramphus// comes from two Greek root-words - //Sarx//, which means 'flesh', and //Rhamphos//, meaning 'beak', referring to the flesh-piercing beak of the bird. 'Papa' literally translates to 'Pope', but can also translate to 'larger', or 'ruler' - the ruler of flesh-eating birds. | **T**he only extant species in its genus, it is a new world vulture, sharing a common ancestor with the California Condor of genus //Gymnogyps//, the two having diverged perhaps some 10 million years ago, though known fossils belonging to the bird’s genus [including extinct species] date far later than this. Perhaps the most distinguished of the vultures - its main head is dark bluish, with patches of lighter blue, with yellow ornamentation above a reddish beak. Its neck is tinted with orange, yellow, and purple, with a bluish ‘mane’ of feathers. The body is more typical - plain white feathers, though the flight feathers of the wings and tail feathers are black. The colouration remains enigmatic - whereas in most bird species males evolve a plumage of bright colouration so to attract females, female king vultures are almost identical to their male counterparts, disproving the possibility that male birds evolved the plumage to attract females. The exact origins of the bird's common name remain unclear - one theory refers to Mayan legend, where the bird was a 'king' between humans and gods - though another seems backed by an account by naturalist Charles Waterton - "//The king of the Vultures came too, and I observed that none of the common ones seemed inclined to begin breakfast until his majesty had finished. When he had consumed as much snake as nature informed him would do him good, he retired to the top of a high mora-tree, and then all the common Vultures fell to and made a hearty meal//." Referring to how smaller [common] vultures seemingly would not eat from a carcass before the larger [king] vulture had done so. Though it could also be that the vulture gained its name from its comparative size and colouration compared to other smaller, drab vultures of the Americas. The genus-name, //Sarcoramphus// comes from two Greek root-words - //Sarx//, which means 'flesh', and //Rhamphos//, meaning 'beak', referring to the flesh-piercing beak of the bird. 'Papa' literally translates to 'Pope', but can also translate to 'larger', or 'ruler' - the ruler of flesh-eating birds. |
