This vulture is a big black bird (length 60 cm) with a bald
black head. You can find it along the coast on the mudflats, in
the mangrove forests, near cows, but most easily is it spotted
when it comes to waste storages. It also likes to eat the remains
of coconuts which it finds in Coronie.
In rainy weather they circle with large groups high in the air.
They keep a watch on each other from a distance and when one
finds a dead body (also with help of its smell) others will come
in with high velocity. These vultures eat very greedy and
afterwards they will rest together, often on a rooftop. To dry
their wings, they will keep them spread out in the well-known
position in the sunshine. Instead of walking they often hop, and
to start flying they need to 'run' first.
Because of their nasty smell and because they eat dead bodies,
the vultures are not eaten by people in Suriname. With the
bushnegroes it has a very special place: Opete is a name of a
important God and the vulture that is his means of
transportation, is also called Opete. The bird has many more
names indicating its importance.
Each small square indicates the observation of at least one (group) of these birds, the medium ones at least 4 observations on different days and the largest ones 10 or more. The color of each square indicates: blue for coastal area, yellow for savanna and red for rainforest. Biggest group: 200 Galibi, august 1982 (Ribot). Top pictures: two by Dennis Binda August 2008 and one by Stephan Ferrier in April 2009. Below the text one of a bird eating fish in Galibi made by Carla Out. The photo of two birds near the carcass of a leatherback turtle was made by Dominiek Plouvier on the east coast in May 2007. Below the text are pictures by J.H.Ribot (wild bird in the Paramaribo Zoo) and two pictures made by Arie Spaans all in Suriname.
| Distribution in Suriname (explanation) | |
| Coastal area |  |
| Savanna |  |
| Forests |  |
| Mountain forests | |
| Sipalawini savanna | |
Names in:
More pictures of vultures and birds of prey in Suriname, part 2
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