Class: AVES

Order: ACCIPITRIFORMES

Family: CATHARTIDAE

Genus: SARCORAMPHUS

Species: PAPA

The 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 flight feathers of the wings are black.