IUCN 10/01/2016 – Least Concern (LC)

U.S. and Canada Conservation Status: Critically imperiled in 3/66 states and provinces (AZ, DC, MA). Imperiled in 4/66 states and provinces (AZ, MA, OH, OK). Vulnerable in 7/66 states and provinces. Apparently secure in 10/66 states and provinces. Secure in 5/65 states and provinces.

The data used in this figure are listed above. These data were compiled from NatureServe and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Not listed

Year-round found in East and Central regions as far north as southern Canada and southwest through south Central region to New Mexico and south through South America.

Breeds in dense woodlands, on cliffs, or in buildings with roosts in woods or outcroppings. Forages in open habitats, often along roads, on farms, ranches, and sometimes in suburban areas.

These maps summarize the latest RPI trend analyses for count sites throughout North America.

CBC: Increases survey-wide from 2009-2019. Over-all increases observed since survey start in the 1970s.

BBS: Steady increases survey-wide since the 1990s. High credibility.

Black vulture flocks can have negative interactions with farmers as they are attracted to afterbirth of new born cattle and sheep. Increasing roadkills, garbage, and animal feed support increasing populations in North America. Other potential threats include nest disturbances, poisoning, and aircraft collisions (Buckley et al. 2022). Black vultures are susceptible to zoonotic disease such as avian influenza and West Nile virus (Vidaña et al, 2020; Erica Miller, personal communications, June 10, 2022).

Written by Rebekah Smith

References

Buckley, N. J., B. M. Kluever, R. Driver, and S. A. Rush (2022). Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus), version 2.0. In Birds of the World (P. G. Rodewald and B. K. Keeney, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.blkvul.02

Farmer, C. J., & Hussell, D. J. (2008). The raptor population index in practice. State of North America’s birds of prey. Series in Ornithology, (3), 165-178.

Farmer, C. J., & Smith, J. P. (2010). Seasonal differences in migration counts of raptors: Utility of spring counts for Population Monitoring. Journal of Raptor Research, 44(2), 101–112. https://doi.org/10.3356/jrr-09-31.1

Fink, D., T. Auer, A. Johnston, M. Strimas-Mackey, O. Robinson, S. Ligocki, W. Hochachka, L. Jaromczyk, C. Wood, I. Davies, M. Iliff, L. Seitz. 2021. eBird Status and Trends, Data Version: 2020; Released: 2021. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. https://doi.org/10.2173/ebirdst.2020

Master, L., Faber-Langendoen, D., Bittman, R., Hammerson, G. A., Heidel, B., Ramsay, L., Snow, K., Teucher, A., & Tomaino, A. (2012). NatureServe conservation status assessments: Factors for evaluating species and ecosystem risk. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.

Meehan, T.D., LeBaron, G.S., Dale, K., Krump, A., Michel, N.L., & Wilsey, C.B. 2020. Abundance trends of birds wintering in the USA and Canada, from Audubon Christmas Bird Counts, 1966-2019, version 3.0. National Audubon Society, New York, New York, USA.

USFWS. 2014. Species Status Assessment for Species Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2021. Birds of Conservation Concern 2021. United States Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Birds, Falls Church, Virginia. http://www.fws.gov/birds/management/ managed-species/birds-of-conservation-concern.php

Vidaña, B., Busquets, N., Napp, S., Pérez-Ramírez, E., Jiménez-Clavero, M. Á., & Johnson, N. (2020). The role of birds of prey in West Nile virus epidemiology. Vaccines, 8(3), 550. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines8030550

Partners in Flight, Vanishing Habitats. https://partnersinflight.org/vanishing-habitats/

Learn more about this species natural history at All About Birds or at Hawk Mountain’s website.