Turkey Vulture - Photos by Bruce Dayton - Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

ORDER: Ciconiiformes
FAMILY: Cathartidae (American Vultures - 3 Species)
SPECIES: Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

Turkey Vulture
The Turkey Vulture is the most common of the vulture family. Vultures have a highly developed sense of smell, which they use to find food (carrion). The Turkey Vulture sometimes help engineers detect broken or cracked underground fuel lines. The leaking fuel smells like carrion and the vultures cluster around the smell.
SIZE	The Turkey Vulture is a very large (26-32") carrion eating bird.
DESCRIPTION	They have a bald head and neck, with red-purple skin. The rest of their body is covered in brownish-black feathers, with pale legs and gray-brown eyes. Sexes are similar in appearance, but the female is slightly larger.
NESTING	Clutch is 3-4 eggs, which are incubated in 35 to 40 days. Their nest is usually in a protected area, such as a crag (vertical rock exposure), small cave, building or a tree if necessary. The nest of sticks will be lined with all manner of material - rags, fur, skin - and well cemented with droppings. Both sexes build, and a nest is used for many years.
RANGE	They are common throughout most of the lower United States. In many areas, where there is a good source of food available, they may stay year-round.
HABITAT	Preferred habitat for Turkey Vultures is to summer in dry open areas, deciduous forests and small woodlands.
DIET	They soar over fields searching for dead carcasses, using their terrific eyesight and acute sense of smell.

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The images on this web page are copyrighted © 2003 - 2008 by Bruce Dayton. I want to share my photos to promote conservation and to help people identify and learn about the birds and other creatures that live with us on the North American continent. Please do not use any of my work in any non-profit or for-profit project without first getting written permission from me. You can ask for permission by emailing me at webmaster@wildlifeofnorthamerica.info. All reproductions must bear an appropriate credit.




Turkey Vulture

Cayuga County, New York


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Wood Thrush Drawing by Louis Agassiz Fuertes