About American black vulture

The black vulture lives in a variety of Western Hemisphere habitats, including coastal lowlands, forests, jungles and deserts. It flocks to open grasslands, the edges of cities and even to downtown urban areas, where the vulture rides the thermal air currents rising from the canyons of skyscrapers. No matter what the habitat, the birds are most likely to be found near something dead or rotting.

The black vulture frequents city dumps, sewers, slaughterhouses and highways with roadkill. It also searches mangrove stands and other wooded areas where baby birds are left unprotected. After spending the day gliding and circling, it will return to roost, usually in tall trees. When not feeding, the black vulture is somewhat social, and is often found roosting with other birds, especially turkey vultures.