Re: addendum: vultures & predation

[Ronald Orenstein <ornstn@inforamp.net>]

>    According to my rather antiquated source the lammergeyer was
>classified
>as a relative of the eagles, despite its rather vulturine habits. Don't
>now what its current classification status is.
>                                                          Dave McC  

Just to clarify: there are two groups of birds called vultures.  The
Cathartidae or New World Vultures (including the two condors) are probably
most
closely related to storks, though most books still reflect their traditional
placement in the Falconiformes.  The Old World Vultures (including the
Lammergeier or Bearded Vulture) are members of the hawk and eagle family
(Accipitridae).  Just to confuse matters a bit, during the Pleistocene there
were Old World vultures in the new world and New World vultures in the Old
World.
--
Ronald I. Orenstein                           Phone: (905) 820-7886
International Wildlife Coalition              Fax/Modem: (905) 569-0116
1825 Shady Creek Court                 
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 3W2          mailto:ornstn@inforamp.net