Head color and caruncles of sympatric Cathartes vultures (Aves Cathartidae) in Guyana and their possible function in intra- and interspecific signaling

Gary R. Graves

doi:10.2988/0006-324X-129.Q2.66

Head color and caruncles of sympatric Cathartes vultures (Aves Cathartidae) in Guyana and their possible function in intra- and interspecific signaling

Gary R. Graves^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The naked heads of Cathartes vultures are widely believed to be adaptations for temperature regulation and to reduce plumage fouling during carrion feeding. Bright head color and the elaborate pattern of caruncles on the head and neck skin have a likely function in intra- and interspecific signaling. These integumentary characters have been difficult to study because of extensive postmortem color fading and shrinkage in museum specimens. Here I provide the first detailed description of head color and caruncles of the Greater Yellow-headed Vulture (C. melambrotus) from freshly collected specimens and provide comparative notes on sympatric populations of the Turkey Vulture (C. aura) and Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture (C. burrovianus) from Guyana.

Original language	English
Journal	Biological Society of Washington. Proceedings
Volume	129
Issue number	1
Pages (from-to)	66-75
Number of pages	10
ISSN	0006-324X
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2988/0006-324X-129.Q2.66
Publication status	Published - 2016

Keywords

caruncles
Cathartes
Guyana
head color
intraspecific signaling
vulture

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10.2988/0006-324X-129.Q2.66

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abstract = "The naked heads of Cathartes vultures are widely believed to be adaptations for temperature regulation and to reduce plumage fouling during carrion feeding. Bright head color and the elaborate pattern of caruncles on the head and neck skin have a likely function in intra- and interspecific signaling. These integumentary characters have been difficult to study because of extensive postmortem color fading and shrinkage in museum specimens. Here I provide the first detailed description of head color and caruncles of the Greater Yellow-headed Vulture (C. melambrotus) from freshly collected specimens and provide comparative notes on sympatric populations of the Turkey Vulture (C. aura) and Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture (C. burrovianus) from Guyana.",

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AB - The naked heads of Cathartes vultures are widely believed to be adaptations for temperature regulation and to reduce plumage fouling during carrion feeding. Bright head color and the elaborate pattern of caruncles on the head and neck skin have a likely function in intra- and interspecific signaling. These integumentary characters have been difficult to study because of extensive postmortem color fading and shrinkage in museum specimens. Here I provide the first detailed description of head color and caruncles of the Greater Yellow-headed Vulture (C. melambrotus) from freshly collected specimens and provide comparative notes on sympatric populations of the Turkey Vulture (C. aura) and Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture (C. burrovianus) from Guyana.

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Head color and caruncles of sympatric Cathartes vultures (Aves Cathartidae) in Guyana and their possible function in intra- and interspecific signaling

Abstract

Keywords

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