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Bird's-Eye View: Useful Scavengers: Vultures may not be the most beautiful or graceful birds, but their habits have purpose
Phil Dickinson Photo
A black vulture rests on a rock outcropping at Pilot Mountain.
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Published: October 3, 2009
"Roadkill!"
When I ask children what birds eat, this is often their response. You might expect them to say worms, bugs or seeds, but think about it. Kids spend more time in cars than in their backyards. So big birds pecking at carcasses are obvious, and besides, the young are often fascinated by things that are just a little gross.
Vultures are not so popular among grownups. Beyond their eating habits, vultures have ugly bald heads, lack the colors or tunes of songbirds, don't seem wise or noble like owls or eagles, and show no grace on the ground. In addition, farmers worry about them spreading disease or killing livestock. But a closer look at these cleanup crews may give you more appreciation for these birds.
Many folks call vultures "buzzards." This British word actually refers to European hawks similar to our red-tailed and red-shouldered species. Vultures sometimes are lumped with hawks, eagles and owls as "raptors" because they eat meat. But vultures lack the sharp talons for catching live prey.
Two species of vulture are in our area: the familiar turkey vulture and a black vulture. The California condor is the only other resident vulture in the United States. There are Old World vultures, too, but they likely derive from different ancestors.
Turkey vultures, or TVs in birder speak, are larger than most hawks. Their bodies are brown and their heads are bald. Adult birds have red heads, like turkeys, whereas juveniles have dark heads. Books describe TVs' flight feathers as silver, but they appear black or brown in most light.
Turkey vultures range throughout most of the United States. In the South, the weather and food keep them around all year. Vultures elsewhere join a river of raptors migrating as far as South America in the fall. Even here you can see groups, or kettles, of northern vultures passing overhead in October.
Black vultures are primarily in the Southeast, although their range is expanding northward. Previously seen here mostly during the winter near landfills, they now appear to be nesting in the area. They have about the same body size as their cousins, and the two frequently are seen together.
Physical features of black vultures are distinct, however. They have black heads and feathers, shorter wings and tails, and white patches near the tips of their wings. Also, they hold their wings horizontally when they glide, whereas turkey vultures often lift their wings in a V-shaped pattern.
Vultures play an important role as scavengers. They eat mostly carrion, or dead animal matter, so they help contain the spread of disease. They are designed for this job. Head feathers would only get in the way, as they would have to clean them. And, their digestive system apparently is designed to tolerate bacteria-ridden, decayed matter that would kill us if we tried to eat it.
Turkey and black vultures soar overhead looking for food. TVs are among the few birds with a strong sense of smell, and this helps them locate a meal. Black vultures lack this ability. Rather, they like to watch turkey vultures from above. Once the TVs find food, they can move in and drive them away -- or at least share. Unlike other vultures, black vultures have been reported to have attacked and killed newborn calves.
These two species roost communally in trees or thickets. They are more secretive with their nests, usually laying their eggs in tree cavities or cliff crevices. Their young don't fly for two or three months, and they remain dependent upon their parents for food for several more months.
In the fall, a good place to see vultures is at Pilot Mountain State Park, as they cruise high above the cars on U.S. 52.
■ The Forsyth Audubon's October bird walk will be at Reynolda Gardens on October 10. Meet at the parking area near Lake Katharine at 8 a.m. Contact Ron Morris at ronmorris@triad.rr.com. On October 11 from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. at the same location, Audubon will host the annual Big Sit, our most sedentary event. Participants count species from a 17-foot diameter circle. For more information, contact Susan Jones at sljones@triad.rr.com.
Bird's-Eye View is a joint column by Ron Morris and Phil Dickinson. Today's column was written by Dickinson. Dickinson is a legal writer. He has been an active birder for 15 years, and is a past president of the Audubon Society of Forsyth County and chairs the conservation committee. Morris retired after 24 years as curator at the N.C. Zoo. He has studied birds around the world and is currently the vice president of the Audubon Society of Forsyth County. If you have a birding question or story idea, write to Bird's-Eye View in care of Features, Winston-Salem Journal, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27101-3159, or send an e-mail to birding@wsjournal.com. Please type "birds" in the subject line.
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