SpamAssassin

Colophon

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The animal on the cover of SpamAssassin is a King vulture. King vultures (Sarcoramphus papa) are found in tropical lowland forests from Mexico to Argentina. Vultures serve a useful purpose in disposing of dead and decaying animal remains.

Their extremely thick and strong bills are well adapted for tearing, as are their long, thick claws for holding meat. King vultures have a very heavy beak, a necessary asset for tearing into large, thick-skinned animals. The absence of feathers on a vulture’s head helps the bird “clean up” after a messy meal.

King vultures do not build nests. The female simply deposits her single egg in the hollow of a rotten tree trunk or in a crack caused by age or lightning. Both parents take turns incubating the egg. When hatched, King vulture chicks have no feathers, but soon are covered with a white down. They do not acquire their adult plumage until they are 18 months old.

While they have very keen eyesight, King vultures have a poor sense of smell. They often rely on other vulture species to locate food. Much larger and stronger than other vultures, the King vulture is useful to the others because it is capable of tearing open tough skin. When other vultures have found carrion, a King vulture or two often ...