The Black Vulture is an aggressive, highly social vulture that lacks the excellent sense of smell of the Turkey Vulture, so it often follows Turkey Vultures to carcasses and then displaces them. It flaps more frequently than the Turkey Vulture and soars on flat, not dihedral, wings. Unusual among birds, it exhibits long-term pair bonds and both parents feed the young for months after fledging.
Best time to see a Black Vulture
The best time to see a Black Vulture is December–May, when about 60% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 66,377 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Black Vulture? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Often confused with
Recent Black Vulture sightings near you
Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.
Spot a Black Vulture? Identify it instantly.
Point Huck at any plant, bird, or animal for an instant ID, its rarity, and a live map of where it is being seen near you.
Get HuckGet an alert when a Black Vulture is spotted
Pick a park, state, or city and we’ll email you when one turns up there. One check a day, only when there’s something new.
Free. Unsubscribe from any email. See our Privacy Policy.
Love birds? Get Huck field notes
Spotting tips, new species, and the best of what people are finding in the wild - straight to your inbox.