Turkey vultures: nature’s cleanup crew

Because the Upper Delaware River valley is prime eagle-viewing territory, when people see a large raptor flying in the distance, they might say “Look, there’s an eagle.” However, if the “eagle” flies with dihedral or “v” wings and seems a little unsteady in the wind, it will probably turn out to be a turkey vulture.

Turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) are a little smaller than eagles, with a wingspan of five and a half feet (versus an eagle’s six-and-a-half-foot wingspan), and a weight of five to six pounds (versus an eagle’s 12-to-14-pound mass). Turkey vultures are brown-black with silvery grey flight feathers on the wing and tail. The wings of these vultures make them very efficient in soaring. In good conditions, a vulture will rarely be seen flapping its wings. Turkey vultures have a red, largely featherless heads. They breed from March until June and do not build nests, laying an average of two eggs on the ground in a cave or hollow. They migrate south during the winter and reappear in the region in early March.

Turkey vultures are scavengers and eat carrion. They have a keen sense of smell which helps them locate food. Their appetite for these unsavory treats aids the environment as there is less decaying carrion lying around. Vultures are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so it is illegal to kill or otherwise

harass them.