King Vulture
King VultureKing VultureKing VultureKing Vulture

King Vulture

Sarcoramphus papa

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
<5% · Rare
overall probability at Itatiaia National Park
54 Verified records at Itatiaia National Park
November Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The king vulture (Sarcoramphus papa) is a large bird found in Central and South America. It is a member of the New World vulture family Cathartidae. This vulture lives predominantly in tropical lowland forests stretching from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. It is the only surviving member of the genus Sarcoramphus, although fossil members are known. Large and predominantly white, the king vulture has gray to black ruff, flight, and tail feathers. The head and neck are bald, with the skin color varying, including yellow, orange, blue, purple, and red. Wikipedia →

<5% of wildlife watchers report a King Vulture sighting in Itatiaia National Park, based on 54 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Itatiaia National Park

Black Vulture
LC

Black Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coragyps atratus

40–50% · Likely
Turkey Vulture
LC

Turkey Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cathartes aura

20–30% · Possible
Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture
LC

Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cathartes burrovianus

<5% · Rare
Roadside Hawk
LC

Roadside Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rupornis magnirostris

10–20% · With luck
White-tailed Hawk
LC

White-tailed Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buteo albicaudatus

10–20% · With luck
Black Hawk-Eagle
LC

Black Hawk-Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spizaetus tyrannus

5–10% · With luck
Short-tailed Hawk
LC

Short-tailed Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buteo brachyurus

5–10% · With luck
White-rumped Hawk

White-rumped Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Percnohierax leucorrhous

<5% · Rare
Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle
LC

Black-and-white Hawk-Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spizaetus melanoleucus

<5% · Rare
Rufous-thighed Kite
LC

Rufous-thighed Kite

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Harpagus diodon

<5% · Rare
Savanna Hawk
LC

Savanna Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buteogallus meridionalis

<5% · Rare
Sharp-shinned Hawk
LC Endemic

Sharp-shinned Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Accipiter striatus

<5% · Rare

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
5–10
Jun
<5
Jul
5–10
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
10–20
Nov
5–10
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
20–30%
2 Brownsberg Nature Park 🇸🇷 Suriname
20–30%
3 Coiba National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
20–30%
4 Serra da Canastra National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
20–30%
5 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
10–20%
6 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
7 Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve 🇪🇨 Ecuador
10–20%
8 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
9 Yasuní National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
10–20%
10 Madidi National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
10–20%
11 Manu National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
10–20%
12 Tayrona National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
10–20%
13 Canaima National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
10–20%
14 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
10–20%
15 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
16 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
10–20%
17 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
10–20%
18 Utría National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
10–20%
19 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
20 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
21 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
22 Tambopata National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
5–10%
23 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
24 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
5–10%
25 Chapada dos Guimarães National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
5–10%
26 El Triunfo 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
27 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
28 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
29 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
30 Emas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
31 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
32 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
33 Itatiaia National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
34 Anavilhanas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
35 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
36 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
37 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
38 Amacayacu National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
39 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
40 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
<5%
41 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
<5%
42 Chapada Diamantina National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
43 Amboró National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
<5%
44 Cordillera Azul National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
<5%
45 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
46 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
47 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
<5%
48 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
49 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
50 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
51 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
52 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
53 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
54 Celaque National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
55 Henri Pittier National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
Insufficient data
56 San Lorenzo Protected Forest 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
57 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
58 Biotopo Cerro Cahuí 🇬🇹 Guatemala
Insufficient data
59 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
60 Ostional Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
61 El Impenetrable National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
Insufficient data
62 La Tigra National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
63 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
64 Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
65 Las Baulas Marine National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
66 Serra dos Órgãos National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
67 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
Insufficient data
68 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
69 Tijuca National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
70 Farallones de Cali National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a King Vulture in Itatiaia National Park?

About 4% of wildlife watchers report a King Vulture sighting in Itatiaia National Park, based on 54 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see King Vulture in Itatiaia National Park?

November has the highest sighting rate for King Vulture in Itatiaia National Park in our monthly data.

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