Yes, you read that right....Vultures!! Did you know that today is International Vulture Awareness Day? I think it should have been called International Vulture
APPRECIATION Day but I suppose awareness is appropriate considering so many people really don't know much about them. I am well aware that most people are repulsed by the mere sight of them or frightened of them thanks to Hollywood. You know...the classic old cowboy flick...cowboy with gunshot wound slumped over on his horse. Turkey Vultures following him, circling above waiting for him to die. Unlike many people, I completely adore them and feel honored to care for them at the wild bird rehabilitation center where I work. They are one of my favorite birds to bring to public education programs and speak about.
You may know them as "Turkey Buzzards" or simply 'Buzzards' which is a very popular nickname for them in here in North America. However Buzzard is actually the proper common name long used in Great Britain to refer to birds of the Buteo genus. Buteos are long broad-winged, soaring Hawks. It is said that most likely early settlers from England thought that the Vultures were Buzzards.
(Photo: Google Images)
Turkey Vultures are absolutely my favorite bird to observe in flight. They ride the sky!! Circling, teetering, soaring and gliding on the thermals sometimes for HOURS without a flap of their long wings. For the most part they look effortlessly graceful while in the air. On the ground however they look a bit awkward when they walk. They remind me of people tiptoeing.
Vultures play a very important environmental role by eating carrion. They are a vital part of our earth's clean up crew. Vultures have super duper digestive enzymes that enable them to eat bacteria contaminated meat and thrive.They are opportunists, eating what they can when they can. However they do prefer food that is as fresh as possible like a day or two old. They find food by using their sharp senses, especially their phenomenal sense of smell. They are one of very few birds with a notable sense of smell. It is thought that they can smell gasses coming off of carcasses from miles away.
(Photo: Google Images)
Turkey Vultures have gorgeous green eyes and bright red heads with what looks like a tidy buzz cut. They also have beautiful feathers, especially the silvery underside of their flight feathers. Because of their appearance and their diet of meat, Vultures have been considered Raptors (Birds of prey). Although DNA testing of them has revealed that they are actually most closely related to Storks. This does not surprise me considering that like Storks, they do what is called Urohydrosis. Which is that they urinate and/or defecate down their legs and onto their feet to cool themselves off. The evaporating of the liquid provides the cooling effect. And in the Turkey Vulture's case it also cleans their legs and feet of bacteria from carcasses. Another clue is that their feet and talons are not designed for hunting prey like those of a Raptor. Nature often gives us big hints IF we pay attention ;-)
When they are disturbed they tend to hiss or grunt. If they really feel threatened they defend themselves by vomiting which is brilliant. Nothing wants anything to do with putrid smelling partially digested meal projected at them. It is also thought that by vomiting they are lightening their load so to speak before needing to take off in a rush.
(Photo: Jerry take by me @ Bullards State Park - Bandon, Oregon
The picture above is of my fine feathered friend Jerry (named after Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead) who is a permanent resident of Free Flight Bird Rehabilitation and Education in Bandon, Oregon. This year is Jerry's 25th year to call Free Flight home. He came to Free Flight as an injured fluffy white chick, brought in by some kind timber workers who had felled a tree that came down on the nest. Jerry was permanently disabled by his injuries and has never been able to fly so he must live in captivity.
(Photo: Jerry taken by me @ Free Flight - Bandon, Oregon)
He seems to have a lot of personality and I am convinced that he has a sense of humor. If he was a person he'd be the practical joker. He likes to take things. Important things. Like the plug to the just cleaned Pelican pool that is about to be refilled if we could only find the dang plug! And there is not much that he enjoys more than people who easily startle when he sneaks up on them. If they happen to yell in surprise or scream all the better.
Last but not least...Turkey Vultures are so freakin' cute when they are chicks. I can certainly see the quite possible Bird - Reptile - Dinosaur connection in the photo below.
(Photo: Turkey Vulture Chick -- The Raptor Center -- College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota)
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