Well, my mother probably would not have enjoyed watching Turkey Vultures. But I do. They are a social bird that roosts in groups and scavenges for food together. With a wing span of over 70 inches and weighing more than four pounds, they can lift off easily in warm air, seemingly effortlessly. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “Turkey Vultures lack the vocal organs to make proper songs. Most of their vocalizations come down to a form of low, guttural hiss made when they are irritated or vying for a better spot on a carcass. They also may give a low, nasal whine while in flight.”
I have never seen a Turkey Vulture nest. There are lots of vultures around here and I wonder, are they all part of a non-breeding gang of teenager vultures?
A couple days ago, I noticed several vultures in the draw below our driveway. Looking closer later in the day, Ken discovered a dead deer. It probably had been hit by a car on the highway and managed to get this far before it died. The number of vultures increases each day and I don’t expect the carcass to last much longer.
My Everyday Photos 