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The turkey vulture has many unique and
interesting qualities that make this species one of the most fascinating birds in North
America. Listed below are some of the reasons why turkey vultures are a favorite bird
species of so many people!
TURKEY
VULTURE tidbits . . . . .
  The turkey vulture is in the same family (Cathartidae)
as the California Condor (Federally endangered species) and the black vulture,
which lives primarily in the south and southeast portions of the U.S.
The turkey vulture’s scientific name
is Cathartes aura which is Latin for "cleansing breeze".
Like all other vultures, the turkey vulture
has a bald head. This is so that bits of carrion (dead meat) do not adhere to
the skin as they would to feathers.
The Turkey Vulture, with its bald red head and dark feathers, was given its
common name due to its superficial resemblance to the Wild Turkey.
At close range the naked red heads of the adult turkey vultures resemble
those of turkeys, hence the name. Juveniles have pinkish black heads.
Turkey vultures are the only scavenger birds
that can't kill their prey. A close inspection of their feet reminds one of a
chicken instead of a hawk or an eagle. Their feet are useless for ripping into
prey, but the vultures have powerful beaks that can tear through even the
toughest cow hide. They feed by thrusting their heads into the body cavities of
rotting animals.
Turkey vultures have an extraordinary sense of
smell. They have been known to be able to smell carrion from over a mile away
which is very unique in the bird world. The turkey vulture has the largest
olfactory (smelling) system of all birds.
Vultures prefer meat as fresh as possible and
won't eat extremely rotted carcasses. They can smell carrion less than 12-24 hours
old.
Groups of perched vultures are called a wake. Imagine them mourning over
something with their heads hung down.
In the early morning hours you may see turkey
vultures sunbathing in a tree with their wings spread out in a horaltic pose. This is
most likely done to
increase their body temperature after the cool night.
During the hot summer months turkey vultures
will defecate on their feet to cool them off.
If a turkey vulture is disturbed or harassed,
it will throw up on whoever is bothering it. Even the vulture babies will do
this!
Turkey vultures do not actually build a nest.
They are known to nest in very remote, hard to reach locations. Some of the
strangest documented nest sites include the floor of an old neglected barn, 6
ft. below the ground surface in a rotted stump, and in a dead tree with the nest
14 ft. below the cavity entrance!
Turkey vulture nests are very difficult to
find - only one nest has been documented in the Kern Valley. Local researchers
suspect that they may use jumbles of boulders for nesting areas.
When you see turkey vultures swarming
around in a cluster in the early morning hours of early spring or fall, they are preparing
to continue on their migration. Vultures seen in the evening hours have probably arrived
in the area that day and are preparing to roost for the night.
Groups of vultures spiraling upward to gain
altitude are called "kettles". As vultures catch thermal updrafts they take on
the appearance of water boiling in a pot – hence the name kettle. Turkey
vultures have been reported by aircraft pilots to rise to as high as 20,000 feet
and soar for hours without flapping their wings.
Researchers have
determined that turkey vultures can travel at up to
200 miles in a day. They are known to arrive in the
Kern Valley from the Fresno area and continue on the
next day south to Tehachapi, Victorville or even
farther. Turkey vultures rarely eat during their
migration period.
Turkey vultures average 2 1/2 feet with a 6
foot wingspan. In spite of their large size, they only weigh between 2-4
pounds!
Because of their light weight, turkey vultures
can virtually float in the sky using the thermal currents (rising columns of
air) to get around the skies. This technique uses very little energy as the
vultures rarely need to flap their wings. Because vultures are so efficient at
finding thermals, hawks will look for kettles of vultures and then fly over to
take advantage of the rising air.
People will often mistakenly call turkey
vultures, buzzards, which is the British name for certain hawks.
Turkey vultures can swoop up to 60 mph in
order to avoid being "mobbed" by ravens or jays. They also have excellent
eyesight and can spot dying or recently dead animals from high in the air.
Turkey vultures have been known to live up to
24 years. The average age is guessed to be around 20 years.
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TURKEY VULTURE