Nov 26 2008
Turkey Vultures on turkey day!
There are many reasons people may not like to think about Turkey vultures (Cathartes aura). They tend to be associated with carrion and death for one thing. But seeing vultures circling overhead doesn’t necessarily mean there is a carcass around or that something is about to die.
Turkey vultures find their food a different way; they smell it. These guys are one of the few birds that have a sense of smell. On closer inspection you can find many other neat adaptations to being part of the “clean up” crew.
If you look closely at the legs of this bird you’ll notice that they appear white and chalky. This is not a skin problem, it’s actually vulture poop. Their feces are acidic enough to kill many microorganisms that may be encountered on a carcass.
If you get too close to a TV you might see the bird start to fling it’s head back and forth like it’s at a concert. Come even closer to investigate and you may find yourself covered in regurgitated carcass. Yum.
The TV appears somewhat like a turkey due to it’s naked, red, head. Think of how messy the bird would get if it had to stick a head full of feathers into a carcass everyday.
We have another species of vulture in the southern part of the state called the Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus). This vulture has a black head, tends to appear “stockier” than the TV, and has silver patches under it’s wings. From personal experience they also seem to be less human-shy. You can often get up close to them, and some are even so bold as to raid your campsite/vehicle etc., for any available food.
