Cathartiformes

Cathartiformes /kəˈθɑːrtɪfɔːrmiːz/ is a former order of scavenging birds which included the New World vultures and the now-extinct Teratornithidae. Unlike many Old World vultures, Canthartiformes lack talons and musculature in their feet suitable for seizing prey. In the past, they were considered to be a sister group to the storks of the order Ciconiiformes based on DNA–DNA hybridization and morphology. However, a 2021 analysis of mitochondrial genes suggested a stronger phylogenetic relationship between Cathartiformes and Accipitriformes, and they are now normally included within the Accipitriformes as the family Cathartidae.