9"x12", watercolor, unframed, 2019

Uncommon, large, and spectacular bird of lowland tropical forest, the king vulture is mainly in wilder areas and not around human habitation. Most often seen soaring overhead in mid-late morning, often fairly high up with kettles of black vultures; rarely seen perched. Striking adult has a colorful head and neck, piercing white eyes, and mostly white plumage with a black trailing edge to the wings and tail. Immature is blackish overall and lacks the white wing markings of the smaller black vulture. Immature develops adult plumage over a few years with white appearing first on the belly and the underside of the wings. Source: Merlin