This is a raptor that is full of surprises for me and despite being a Vulture, in my view rather beautiful, dazzling colours, and has a fascinating history with mankind! The King Vulture is one of the most common species of birds represented in the Mayan codices. It's glyph is easily distinguishable by the knob on the bird’s beak and by the concentric circles that make up the bird’s eyes. Sometimes the bird is portrayed as a god with a human body and a bird head. According to Mayan mythology, this god often carried messages between humans and the other gods. It is also used to represent Cozcaquauhtli, the thirteenth day of the month in the Mayan calendar. An Ocellated Turkey (Meleagris ocellata) was also considered to be the bird depicted, but the hooked bill and wattle point to the raptor. The bird’s blood and feathers were also used to cure diseases. The King Vulture is also a popular subject on the stamps of the countries within its range. It appeared on a stamp for El Salvador in 1963, Belize in 1978, Guatemala in 1979, Honduras in 1997, Bolivia in 1998, and Nicaragua in 1999.