The Magician- King vulture (Sarcoramphus papa)
Undoubtedly the most colourful vulture, this flamboyant bird holds a special place in Mayan mythology. A king and messenger between the gods and humans in these legends.
Both sexes possess these vivid caruncles and wattles, likely an example of mutual sexual selection. They nest in tree hollows and lay a single egg. Like other vultures, their reproduction is slow but thankfully, they are currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List. However, there has been an observed decline thanks to pressures such as habitat loss and poaching.
The Magician represents power, resourcefulness, and manifestation. The king vulture is known to take control of carcasses from smaller vulture species such as black and turkey vultures. That paired with those magical colours and presence makes the king vulture a good choice for this card, in my opinion
