The fossil history of the Cathartidae is complex, and many taxa that may possibly have been New World vultures have at some stage been treated as early representatives of the family.
There is no unequivocal European record from the Neogene.

It is clear that the Cathartidae had a much higher diversity in the Plio-Pleistocene, rivalling the current diversity of Old World vultures and their relatives in shapes, sizes, and ecological niches.
Extinct taxa are:
Diatropornis ("European vulture") Late Eocene/Early Oligocene – ?
Middle Oligocene of France
Phasmagyps Chadronian of Colorado
Cathartidae gen.
et sp.
indet.
Late Oligocene of Mongolia
Brasilogyps Late Oligocene/Early Miocene of Brazil
Hadrogyps ("American dwarf vulture") Middle Miocene of SW North America
Cathartidae gen.
et sp.
indet.
Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of Lee Creek Mine, USA
Pliogyps ("Miocene vulture") Late Miocene – Late Pliocene of S North America
Perugyps ("Peruvian vulture") Pisco Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of SC Peru
Dryornis ("Argentinean vulture") Early – Late?
Pliocene of Argentina; may belong to modern genus Vultur
Cathartidae gen.
et sp.
indet.
Middle Pliocene of Argentina
Aizenogyps ("South American vulture") Late Pliocene of SE North America
Breagyps  ("long-legged vulture") Late Pleistocene of SW North America
Geronogyps Late Pleistocene of Argentina and Peru
Gymnogyps varonai Late Quaternary of Cuba
Wingegyps Late Pleistocene of Brazil
Pleistovultur Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene of Brazil
Cathartidae gen.
et sp.
indet.
Cuba
Gymnogyps amplus  Late Pleistocene – Holocene of W North America
The fossil history of the Cathartidae is complex, and many taxa that may possibly have been New World vultures have at some stage been treated as early representatives of the family. There is no unequivocal European record from the Neogene.
It is clear that the Cathartidae had a much higher diversity in the Plio-Pleistocene, rivalling the current diversity of Old World vultures and their relatives in shapes, sizes, and ecological niches. Extinct taxa are:
Diatropornis ("European vulture") Late Eocene/Early Oligocene – ?Middle Oligocene of France
Phasmagyps Chadronian of Colorado
Cathartidae gen. et sp. indet. Late Oligocene of Mongolia
Brasilogyps Late Oligocene/Early Miocene of Brazil
Hadrogyps ("American dwarf vulture") Middle Miocene of SW North America
Cathartidae gen. et sp. indet. Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of Lee Creek Mine, USA
Pliogyps ("Miocene vulture") Late Miocene – Late Pliocene of S North America
Perugyps ("Peruvian vulture") Pisco Late Miocene/Early Pliocene of SC Peru
Dryornis ("Argentinean vulture") Early – Late? Pliocene of Argentina; may belong to modern genus Vultur
Cathartidae gen. et sp. indet. Middle Pliocene of Argentina
Aizenogyps ("South American vulture") Late Pliocene of SE North America
Breagyps  ("long-legged vulture") Late Pleistocene of SW North America
Geronogyps Late Pleistocene of Argentina and Peru
Gymnogyps varonai Late Quaternary of Cuba
Wingegyps Late Pleistocene of Brazil
Pleistovultur Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene of Brazil
Cathartidae gen. et sp. indet. Cuba
Gymnogyps amplus  Late Pleistocene – Holocene of W North America
New World vulture