King Vulture
King VultureKing VultureKing VultureKing Vulture

King Vulture

Sarcoramphus papa

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Chirripó National Park
16 Verified sightings at Chirripó National Park From 2019 to 2026
10,355 Verified sightings across all 71 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the King Vulture

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. The king vulture has a noticeable orange fleshy caruncle on its beak. This vulture is a scavenger and it often makes the initial cut into a fresh carcass. It also displaces smaller New World vulture species from a carcass. King vultures have been known to live for up to 30 years in captivity.

King vultures were popular figures in the Mayan codices as well as in local folklore and medicine. Although currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, they are decreasing in number, due primarily to habitat loss. The king vulture was originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Chirripó National Park

Black Vulture
LC

Black Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coragyps atratus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Turkey Vulture
LC

Turkey Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cathartes aura

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Broad-winged Hawk
LC

Broad-winged Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buteo platypterus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Roadside Hawk
LC

Roadside Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Rupornis magnirostris

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
American Swallow-tailed Kite
LC

American Swallow-tailed Kite

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Elanoides forficatus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Red-tailed Hawk
LC

Red-tailed Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buteo jamaicensis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Barred Hawk
LC

Barred Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Leucopternis princeps

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Short-tailed Hawk
LC

Short-tailed Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buteo brachyurus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Hook-billed Kite
LC

Hook-billed Kite

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chondrohierax uncinatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Ornate Hawk-Eagle
NT

Ornate Hawk-Eagle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spizaetus ornatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Zone-tailed Hawk
LC

Zone-tailed Hawk

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buteo albonotatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Double-toothed Kite
LC

Double-toothed Kite

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Harpagus bidentatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

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

Quick answers

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

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a King Vulture sighting in Chirripó National Park, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

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

September has the highest sighting rate for King Vulture in Chirripó National Park in our monthly data.

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