King Vulture
Sarcoramphus papa

It's hard to believe that this colorful bird is a scavenger. But the King Vulture is the largest of the vultures, and by far the most brilliant. You may find these big birds flying overhead in Mexico and Central America looking for dead animals. Vultures take a bad rap for being scavengers, but they are really important natural recyclers. Vultures clean up the remains of dead animals, keeping bacteria and disease from spreading. So next time you see a vulture overhead, think of him as one of nature's original recyclers and be pleased to have him around!

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