Why do Old and New World vultures share similar physical traits like bald heads?
Answer
Convergent evolution due to ecological pressures
The shared physical characteristics between Old and New World vultures, such as bald heads and large wingspans, are the result of convergent evolution. Because both groups occupy the same ecological niche—cleaning up carrion—they have independently developed similar biological solutions to survive. This process proves that external resemblance does not always equate to a shared recent evolutionary origin.
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