Lappet-faced vultures (left) and a white-backed vulture
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Aves
Order:
Accipitriformes
Family:
Accipitridae
Groups included
Gypaetinae
Aegypiinae
Old World vultures are vultures that are found in the Old World, i.e. the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa, and which belong to the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, buzzards, kites, and hawks.
Old World vultures are not closely related to the superficially similar New World vultures and condors, and do not share that group's good sense of smell. The similarities between the two groups of vultures are due to convergent evolution, rather than a close relationship. They were widespread in both the Old World and North America during the Neogene.
Old World vultures are probably a polyphyletic group within Accipitridae, belonging to two separate not closely related groups within the family.[2] Most authorities refer to two major clades: Gypaetinae (Gypaetus, Gypohierax and Neophron) and Aegypiinae (Aegypius, Gyps, Sarcogyps, Torgos, Trigonoceps and possibly Necrosyrtes). The former seem to be nested with Perninae hawks, while the latter are closely related and possibly even synonymous with Aquilinae.[3] Within Aegypiinae, Torgos, Aegypius, Sarcogyps and Trigonoceps are particularly closely related and possibly within the same genus.[4][5] Despite the name of the group, "Old World" vultures were widespread in North America until relatively recently, until the end of the Late Pleistocene epoch around 11,000 years ago.[6]
Both Old World and New World vultures are scavenging birds, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals. Old World vultures find carcasses exclusively by sight. A particular characteristic of many vultures is a semi-bald head, sometimes without feathers or with just simple down. Historically, it was thought that this was due to feeding habits, as feathers would be glued with decaying flesh and blood. However, more recent studies have shown that it is actually a thermoregulatory adaptation to avoid facial overheating; the presence or absence of complex feathers seems to matter little in feeding habits, as some vultures are quite raptorial.[4][5][7]
^"Aegypiinae". Fossilworks. Gateway to the Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^Lerner & Mindell 2005.
^(Griffiths et al. 2007, Lerner and Mindell 2005)
^ abMundy, P. et al. 1992. The Vultures of Africa, Academic Press.
^ abWilber, S. & Jackson, J. 1983. Vulture Biology and Management, University of California
^Zhang, Zihui; Feduccia, Alan; James, Helen F. (2012-11-09). Iwaniuk, Andrew (ed.). "A Late Miocene Accipitrid (Aves: Accipitriformes) from Nebraska and Its Implications for the Divergence of Old World Vultures". PLOS ONE. 7 (11): e48842. Bibcode:2012PLoSO...748842Z. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0048842. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 3494718. PMID 23152811.
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Many well-known birds such as hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and OldWorldvultures are included in this group. The osprey is usually placed in a separate...
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