The scientific family name for vultures of the Americas, derived from Greek katharos (pure).
From Greek katharos (pure) + Latin -idae (family designation in taxonomy). Scientific classification naming that reflects the purifying ecological role of these birds.
The New World vultures in family Cathartidae are actually more closely related to storks than Old World vultures—they were misclassified for 200 years, showing how naming doesn't always match biology!
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