What is the functional reason for the characteristic bald head seen on most vultures?
Answer
Sanitary feeding adaptation
The lack of feathers on the head is an adaptation for sanitary feeding; it prevents blood and bacteria from clinging to the head when plunging deep into a carcass, which could otherwise lead to infection.
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To which taxonomic family do Old World Vultures belong?Which family contains the New World Vultures, such as the Turkey Vulture?What evolutionary concept describes how unrelated vultures developed similar traits due to shared diets or environments?What unique sensory adaptation allows the Turkey Vulture to efficiently locate carrion from great heights?What primary sense do Old World Vultures rely on almost entirely to find food?How do New World Vultures, like the Turkey Vulture, often hold their wings when soaring on thermals?What bird, which is a true raptor in the Accipitridae family, is often called a 'buzzard' in the United States?What is the functional reason for the characteristic bald head seen on most vultures?For Old World Vultures residing in the Accipitridae family, which group represents their closest living relatives?What is the definitive closest relative within the New World Vulture family, Cathartidae?If one were forced to choose a single type of bird representing the closest evolutionary sister group to the *entire* vulture concept, what would it be?