Coragyps atratus (Black Vulture)
A few minutes after the previous photo was taken, this black vulture (Coragyps atratus) landed on a rock next to the Olmsted Island overlook. He (or she, I have no idea) posed nicely for me, sitting in profile while I was able to get fairly close, especially with my long lens. It lacks the developed sense of smell of our other native vulture, the slightly larger turkey vulture (Cathartes aura). It finds food, therefore, either by sight or by following turkey vultures. From a distance and while flying, the two vultures can be distinguished by the different patterns of grey and black on underside of the wings, the turkey vulture having much more grey. They both fly with dihedral (v-shaped) wings, which makes them easily distinguished from the more flat-winged hawks and eagles.