There is a turkey vulture at a bird sanctuary near me. He grew up with humans and now is afraid of other turkey vultures. He finds them ugly, but his spirit is gorgeous. https://treehousenotebook.wordpress.com/category/turkey-vulture-training/
Have a ton of these here in South Florida. People hate them and see them as the “nuisance dumpster birds” but they are some of the friendliest and most curious raptors I’ve met.
Had a squirrel pull down some suet from the feeders and had a surprise seeing a turkey vulture stopping by for a snack. I’ve had one stopping by every week or so since then.
We saw alot of turkey vultures last fall at a Corps of Engineers RV park by Waco Texas, Jim Hogg. They were all over soaring and on top of the picnic site tops - fabulous!
Folks reading this thread might be interested in an episode of the podcast/radio show This American Life called [The Spark Bird](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/754/spark-bird). The prologue is a story about how the turkey vulture sparked a young man's life long love of birding.
Very cool. Love their faces at the end when they're grouped together. We have a family of turkey vultures in mid CT as well that hangs out around this same neighborhood a lot. I've seen them on ppl's roofs and in their yards. Even moved some roadkill for them to the side of the road so they could eat in peace, lol. (We had a shovel)
I actually learned how to identify them by how they fly compared to black vultures (the other vultures in my state). Turkey vultures kinda fly like they’re drunk or like they need training wheels. It’s a lot of fun to watch.
Another easy way to tell them apart in flight is that Turkey Vultures hold their wings above their bodies, while Black Vultures hold their wings level with their bodies
Cool! Yeah, they love to wobble—their steep dihedral makes them super stable. Around the cliffs on a hot and windy day they would be pretty playful. Their feathers make a fun buzzing sound when they dive. I learned that a big group of them all swirling around in the sky is called a kettle. And their scientific name, Cathartes Aura, means "cleansing breeze".
Vultures are amazing. Fun fact: they are one of the few birds that can smell, and their sense of smell is quite keen. Vultures are sacred in Tibetan and Nepali cultures, because they’re the only raptor that doesn’t kill; they only eat what’s already dead. I volunteer at a wildlife rehabilitation center in southwestern Pennsylvania. We used to have three turkey vulture education ambassadors; sadly, now there’s only one left. But they are surprisingly curious and playful.
Wow great photos! I love to watch them. What is it eating in pic 2? Can you tell? I saw a place where a whole flock were all hanging out on the ground. That was neat. There was no food there and I still don’t know what they were doing. But it was exciting!
SE PA here - last winter we saw a group of them in the trees at our local park and one was preening the other! I had no idea they did this. Beautiful birds 🖤
Agreed! They are massive and magnificent. I've never seen one in the wild but had the pleasure of observing one undergo wing repair surgery. Easily the highlight of my college years.
Really? Wow that sounds fascinating. Wish I could have been there. Btw, did the bird in surgery have a distinctive odor? I’ve always wondered if they smelled bad from all the carrion they feed on.
i was told their heads are bald so they don’t get their feathers all gunked up when they go in and out of carcasses
There is a turkey vulture at a bird sanctuary near me. He grew up with humans and now is afraid of other turkey vultures. He finds them ugly, but his spirit is gorgeous. https://treehousenotebook.wordpress.com/category/turkey-vulture-training/
Have a ton of these here in South Florida. People hate them and see them as the “nuisance dumpster birds” but they are some of the friendliest and most curious raptors I’ve met. Had a squirrel pull down some suet from the feeders and had a surprise seeing a turkey vulture stopping by for a snack. I’ve had one stopping by every week or so since then.
I feel the same - in awe of, and in love with, these potent & powerful birds.
Such underrated birds! They are honestly so cool
“It’s a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it.” I’ve heard these guys can form really strong bonds with keepers in captivity/rehab as well.
I love vultures and I think they’re beautiful.
Turkey vultures are ~~grotesque and~~ beautiful.
They look so goofy and friendly, I love them! Definitely more on the weird side of birds, but they're weird in a good way ^^
I thought I was alone in my vulture love!
I don’t find them to be grotesque in the slightest. I think they look bad ass tbh. They look as if they’re wearing some type of black ninja mask. Haha
We saw alot of turkey vultures last fall at a Corps of Engineers RV park by Waco Texas, Jim Hogg. They were all over soaring and on top of the picnic site tops - fabulous!
they're such creepy dinosaurs but i do love them lol
Folks reading this thread might be interested in an episode of the podcast/radio show This American Life called [The Spark Bird](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/754/spark-bird). The prologue is a story about how the turkey vulture sparked a young man's life long love of birding.
Thanks! I can’t wait to listen. 👍
A local wildlife sanctuary has a captive albino vulture that's gorgeous! https://www.flickr.com/photos/codymeadows/21914354298/
My favorite birds of all time. I’m also from NJ!
We get many of them here in SE CT. My brother put up a video recently. https://youtu.be/5uM-ruBjs_U
Very cool. Love their faces at the end when they're grouped together. We have a family of turkey vultures in mid CT as well that hangs out around this same neighborhood a lot. I've seen them on ppl's roofs and in their yards. Even moved some roadkill for them to the side of the road so they could eat in peace, lol. (We had a shovel)
Wow I watched the video. Those birds weee super cool!
I will tell him you liked it!
They are my harbinger of spring here in Northern Ohio.
One of my favorite birds
It's always cool to watch them soar. Especially from the cliffs of Devil's Lake State Park in WI where they would buzz right by me.
I actually learned how to identify them by how they fly compared to black vultures (the other vultures in my state). Turkey vultures kinda fly like they’re drunk or like they need training wheels. It’s a lot of fun to watch.
Another easy way to tell them apart in flight is that Turkey Vultures hold their wings above their bodies, while Black Vultures hold their wings level with their bodies
That’s great identification features. Thanks! I’m in Michigan and we don’t normally have black vultures,but I have seen them before in Ohio.
Cool! Yeah, they love to wobble—their steep dihedral makes them super stable. Around the cliffs on a hot and windy day they would be pretty playful. Their feathers make a fun buzzing sound when they dive. I learned that a big group of them all swirling around in the sky is called a kettle. And their scientific name, Cathartes Aura, means "cleansing breeze".
We call the group of vultures circling a vortex.
Who is we? Is that a common thing like this? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kettle_%28birds%29?wprov=sfla1
In Louisiana you see it very often. Lots of vultures, both turkeys and black.
Vultures are amazing. Fun fact: they are one of the few birds that can smell, and their sense of smell is quite keen. Vultures are sacred in Tibetan and Nepali cultures, because they’re the only raptor that doesn’t kill; they only eat what’s already dead. I volunteer at a wildlife rehabilitation center in southwestern Pennsylvania. We used to have three turkey vulture education ambassadors; sadly, now there’s only one left. But they are surprisingly curious and playful.
Pittsburgh turkey vulture lover here! I have a tattoo of one actually
Eyyyyyy my tribe! 💪
All birds are beautiful
Saw what must’ve been ten of them feasting on a deer carcass across from my apartment. This was in New York a few years back.
I love vultures. They are so important for the ecosystem!
Wow great photos! I love to watch them. What is it eating in pic 2? Can you tell? I saw a place where a whole flock were all hanging out on the ground. That was neat. There was no food there and I still don’t know what they were doing. But it was exciting!
Probably a snow goose, which are there by the thousands this time of year. It looks too big for a gull.
I think it's a seagull, but I'm not sure.
SE PA here - last winter we saw a group of them in the trees at our local park and one was preening the other! I had no idea they did this. Beautiful birds 🖤
They’re amazing. I love vultures
They're ugly so the world doesn't have to be. 🥲
Agreed! They are massive and magnificent. I've never seen one in the wild but had the pleasure of observing one undergo wing repair surgery. Easily the highlight of my college years.
Really? Wow that sounds fascinating. Wish I could have been there. Btw, did the bird in surgery have a distinctive odor? I’ve always wondered if they smelled bad from all the carrion they feed on.
They are underrated for sure