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Glite Dictionary
Cathartidae

Cathartidae

1 9.9
A family of large vultures from the Americas that includes condors and turkey vultures
  • noun
  • /kæˈθɑːrtɪdeɪ/
  • Specialized
: Cathartidae
  • The Cathartidae family includes some of the largest birds in North America.

Examples

  • The Cathartidae include some of the largest flying birds in the Americas, such as the Andean condor.

  • Unlike Old World vultures, members of Cathartidae are thought to use their sense of smell to locate food.

  • Biologists study the digestive adaptations found in Cathartidae to understand scavenging diets.

  • Did you know that the Cathartidae family has a unique digestive system?

  • The condor is a member of the Cathartidae family, known for its impressive wingspan.

  • Many species of Cathartidae can be seen soaring high above the mountains.

  • The turkey vulture, a common bird in North America, belongs to the Cathartidae family.

Synonyms

family Cathartidae
vsCathartidae
  • Specialized
9.7

Large birds from the Americas, like condors and turkey vultures, that eat dead animals

is written as the scientific name alone without the rank word

Compounds

family Cathartidae
  • Specialized
9.7

Large birds from the Americas, like condors and turkey vultures, that eat dead animals

Surface Forms

Cathartidae singular
Cathartidae plural

Morphology

Cathartidae = Cathartes (opaque) = Cathartes + idae

Formed by the technical taxonomic suffix '-idae' added to a genus name; this specialized formation is not transparent to average learners.

Etymology

Cathartidae comes from the Greek root katharos, meaning 'clean' or 'to cleanse', plus the family ending -idae meaning 'family'. People named these New World vultures Cathartidae because they act like nature's cleaners, eating dead animals and helping keep the land clean.