Geographic range: Nearctic, Neotropical: Cathartes aura can be found from southern Canada, through United States, Mexico and Central America south to southern South America.

Physical characteristics: A large black bird with bald red head and neck. Wingspan reaches 150 - 180 cm. Feet are quite weak - not used to catching pray.

Food Habits: Carrion eater. Most of the bird's time is spent soaring gracefully over the land in search of the animal carcasses on which it feeds. The Vulture's keen senses of both smell and sight aid in the location of rotting meat. Because this species does not kill in order to attain food, its claws and feet alike have become rather weak appendages for grasping.

Reproduction: Nesting takes place during warmer weather. Nest is usually constructed on the ground, sometimes camouflaged. Clutch has always 2 eggs.

Behavior: Despite the fact that C. aura is quite common species, very little is known about its behavior. The ability to locate food and then communicate the discovery to other individuals over fairly long-range distances accurately has yet to be fully comprehended in the scientific world.

Habitat: Mainly deciduous forest and woodland, and adjacent farmland or other open areas that can be easily scavenged. Rarely is Cathartes aura found in dense tropical environments that are accompanied by high amounts of rainfall and tropical temperatures.

Biomes: temperate forest & rainforest, temperate grassland, desert, tropical deciduous forest, tropical savanna & grasslands, mountains