HABITAT AND RANGE:
They prefer mainly deciduous forests and
woodlands, especially those near open
fields that can be used as hunting
grounds. They range over all of the
Americas except northern Canada.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
A large, eagle sized bird that is
frequently seen soaring in thermal
updrafts. The wings are very large and
have a grey to silvery lining. The tail
is long and square, and fits snugly
between the closed wings. The head is
small, free of feathers, and reddish in
color. On the ground, it is very
awkward, and it frequently hops
clumsily. Adults are 25 to 32 inches
high and have a wingspan of 72 inches.
As it flies, the wings are slightly
upturned, making a shallow ‘V’ shape.
ADAPTATIONS:
Turkey vultures have a very good sense
of smell and keen eyesight for finding
food. Some migration may occur during
the winter months. Turkey vultures rely
on their soaring ability, vision, and
sense of smell to find carrion because
its legs and talons are too weak to
actually kill prey animals. The bare
head is an adaptation to prevent feather
clinging parasites from attaching and
infecting the bird’s head.
DIET:
Turkey vultures are unable to kill most
prey animals, so they must eat what
chance provides them. As soon as an
animal can no longer move, it becomes
food for the vultures. They are
primarily scavengers and eat carrion,
but have been also seen to kill newborn
pigs, herons, and ibises.
REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT:
Females usually lay 2 creamy white eggs
marked with black to brown splotches in
a ‘nest’ located on precipitous cliffs,
in caves, hollow stumps, crevices in
rocks, or dense shrubbery to limit
attacks by enemies. There is no actual
nest other than the hollow depression.
Nothing is done to the nest to make it
‘soft’. Frequently the same nests are
used year to year. Both sexes share
incubation which lasts 30 days. The
young birds are born with their eyes
open and covered with a long, cottony
white down. Fledging occurs in about 9
weeks.
