turkey vulture
noun
1.
a blackish-brown vulture,
Cathartes aura,
from the southern U.S. to South America, having a bare, wrinkled, red head and neck.
Also called
turkey buzzard
.
Origin
1815-25,
Americanism
British Dictionary definitions for
turkey vulture
turkey buzzard
noun
1.
a New World vulture,
Cathartes aura
, having a dark plumage and naked red head