Validity of Bartram's Painted Vulture (Aves: Cathartidae)

Area of Science:

• Ornithology
• Historical Ecology
• Taxonomy

Background:

• William Bartram described the Painted Vulture (Vultur sacra) in 1791, but its existence is debated.
• The description is often dismissed as a misidentification of the King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa) or Northern Caracara (Caracara cheriway).
• A key discrepancy is tail color: uniform dark brown in King Vultures versus white with a dark tip in Bartram's Painted Vulture.

Purpose of the Study:

• To re-evaluate the evidence for the existence of Bartram's Painted Vulture.
• To address historical arguments against its validity, particularly the tail-color discrepancy.
• To assess the significance of an independent historical account by Eleazar Albin.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of Bartram's description with known vulture species, focusing on morphology and coloration.
• Examination of Eleazar Albin's 1734 account and painting of a similar vulture.
• Critical review of historical ornithological arguments against the Painted Vulture's validity.

Main Results:

• Bartram's description closely matches the King Vulture except for tail color.
• Albin's independent account corroborates Bartram's description, including the distinctive tail.
• Historical objections, primarily concerning tail color, are not persuasive upon close examination.
• Evidence suggests Albin's account is independent of Bartram's.

Conclusions:

• Bartram's Painted Vulture is likely a valid, historically present species in the southeastern United States.
• The Painted Vulture appears closely related to, yet distinct from, the King Vulture.
• Further research into historical accounts and potential fossil evidence could strengthen the case for this extinct or extirpated species.