king vulture

king vulture

n. A large vulture (Sarcoramphus papa) of Central and South America, having a white body with black wing and tail feathers, a bald head, and a prominent fleshy appendage on the beak.

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[So called because it drives other vulture species away from carrion when feeding and is often the first to make a cut into a fresh carcass.]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

king vulture - large black-and-white vulture of South America and Central America; have colorful wattles and wartlike protuberances on head and neckSarcorhamphus papacathartid, New World vulture - large birds of prey superficially similar to Old World vulturesgenus Sarcorhamphus, Sarcorhamphus - usually containing only the king vulture