Virtually its entire body is black, with the upper parts of its wings having white patches at the tips. Its head is featherless and yellow, with a reddish forehead and nape, and a blue-gray crown. Its eyes are red.

A solitary vulture, this scavenger, a member of the vulture family, glides low, with its wings spread slightly in a "V" shape, to locate carrion. It has a typical static flight, maintaining its altitude without the need to flap its wings.

The breeding season is between March and May. They build their own nests with mud, branches, and various vegetation from the surrounding area. The eggs are white with grayish and brown specks all over the shell. The young leave the nest after two or three months.