King Vultures | National Geographic

here in Maya mountains of Belize you’re
about to meet a creature that will defy
your expectations this believe it or not
is a vulture now art vulture is supposed
to be unattractive gawky stooped
scavengers well not this one this is a
king vulture and you might call it
beautiful even magnificent these
vultures have the ability to spend hours
in the sky they seldom flap their huge
wings instead they rise on thermals and
glide for miles looking for food
this bird was called awk by the ancient
Mayans they believed the King vulture
was an envoy of the gods flying between
heaven and earth delivering messages to
mortals for sure it’s the most brightly
coloured of the vultures with an unusual
neon bright orange wattle extending out
from just below its nostrils and as for
those grand wings
perhaps this proud king will show them
off for us a five-foot wingspan no
wonder it’s Lord of its domain soaring
above the forest their eyesight is
legendary but some scientists believe
they follow their nose to food as
magnificent as these birds are they are
like other vultures still scavengers
they trail carnivores like this Jaguar
you
the Jaguar eats what it’s killed
the king vulture bides it’s time here in
the rainforest of the Maya mountains
there’s plenty for everyone
predators and scavengers alike king
vultures have a very heavy beating for
tearing into thick skin large animals of
course dead meat like this armadillo
might have bacteria which is why after
eating the king vulture lounges in the
Sun the short feathers of its head keep
the bacteria from getting trapped and
then ultraviolet rays help kill the
exposed bacteria strong stomach acids
kill the bacteria it ingests
the king stays healthy and beautiful of
course