Young Turkey Vulture
Young Turkey Vulture, we are at a campground this weekend that has plenty of turkey vultures hanging about. Mainly because people feed the stray cats here and then these hungry birds come down from the trees and eat the left over cat food.
Nothing goes unnoticed by these birds, I even saw 3 young ones grab a empty bag of cat food off the top of a garbage can to see if there was anything left for them. Pretty smart 🙂
Update on this post, thank you to Andrew who left a comment on this post mentioning that this first photo of a turkey vulture could be a black turkey vulture and after looking it up, I agree. So I added this bird to my over all bird list bringing it up to 153 birds photographed. Thank you Andrew,
Adult Turkey Vulture
Discover more from Into the Light Adventures
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
35 Replies to “Young Turkey Vulture”
Oh they contain similar heads with the domestic able turkeys!
They do, 🙂
Not the prettiest critters in the world, but sure provide a great benefit to the circle of life.
Oh my, the expression “a face only a mother could love” comes to mind. Those are huge nostrils on this vulture. Great close-ups Sandra.
Thank you Linda
The turkey vultures migrate south for the winter, so there aren’t any here right now. When they come back in the spring, mid March or so, we have a vulture celebration every year. It includes vulture talks and live vultures that people can get somewhat close to. It also includes the yearly welcome to the vultures parade. Funny little town we live in!
That is so cool that they do that Emilie, I know most people find them hard to look at. They are different for sure. But they have the most beautiful wing spans and sore above us like dancing in the air.
Years ago, while birding at a local cemetery, a spotted a pod of turkey vulture overhead. Out of curiosity about whether sight or smell attracted these birds to their meals, I stretched out on the grass and was very still. After a short time, I came to my senses – what would I say that made sense to non- birders if they spotted me in that position in a cemetery! – and stood up, no wiser.
Later that year, at a Nebraska Ornithologists’ Organization spring meeting, I mentioned doing this to find out about their behavior and was surprised to learn two others in the group I was birding with had done the same thing! We laughed nervously, but felt some relief that we weren’t alone, no matter how crazy our behavior!
I have often wondered that. But obviously they did not come to check you out laying there. 🙂 Here where I took this photo I have spotted them on the ground near the cat food and the cats are not to far from them. As if sharing the food. I am surprised they are eating cat food though.
Me, too!
As a non-birder, I would have found your behavior odd but, with further inquiry, I would see it as necessary for investigation and…fascinating.
I love birds. Don’t get me wrong. I like to watch them & talk to them. I am just not talented enough to photograph them well.
Have you done an investigation on why Crows gather in the same trees, for several days? We have had a large murder in two trees across the street for the last five days.
inbackyard.com/why-so-many-crows-all-of-a-sudden/
A face only a mother could love.
So true 🙂
Oh dear – even your wonderful photos can’t do much for the poor creature!!!😅
I know Marie 😊, they are a very unique bird for sure.
Impressionnant !
Mike and I are fascinated by these birds – nature’s garbage disposals. They aren’t very pretty, but the do provide a public service. Great shots, Sandra.
I agree Kellye, that have a purpose and I do love how they glide above us in flight, some of them get so high up in the air, I imagine what it might be like to do that.
There were a lot of these at the office building where I once worked. Kind of unnerving to look out the window and see one sitting on the ledge, looking back at you! 😲
🙂 that would be something to have them right at a window. 🙂
Impressive portrait of a not so nice looking guy 😉
Thank you, yes I have never seen the young ones until this week. 🙂
Ugly but so useful ! Great photos !
Thanks, Sandra. Have a wonderful day
Isn’t it something how they have a certain job to do and they were designed just right to do it. 🙂 Have a great day Francine 🙂
Incredible pictures, Sandra, yet I agree with most others here …. this bird is magnificent yet very ugly. Thank you for sharing! xo
You are so welcome Amy, they sure are an interesting bird with a very specific design to them. 🙂
Enjoyed the pictures! I am wondering though, do you have black vultures in your area? I noticed the nose of your immature vulture doesn’t look like a turkey vulture.
You know I did not research this vulture before posting. I was just thinking it must be a younger turkey vulture, being I have only seen turkey vultures. But I looked up the black vulture and it does look like this one. I now can add it to my bird list. 😉 thank you for the information.
They are an ugly looking bird to most but beautiful in their own skin.
So true 🙂
Cool but so ugly!
I know, I do love their wing spans, they are pretty impressive in flight. 🙂