BIRD TALK: TURKEY VULTURES

By Greg Dunne

Photos by Greg Dunne and Norman Banks                                         

February 28, 2015 (Lake Murray)--The Turkey Vulture is one of the largest birds in San Diego’s East County. With their bald red head and a wingspan of up to six feet, these birds stand out in many ways. You can usually see them soaring at low levels looking for food, using the thermals for gliding effortlessly.  You can also see their slivery-colored wings contrasting with the dark colors of the bird’s feathers.

The Turkey Vulture is one of the most remarkable animals in nature. It is a scavenger and feeds almost exclusively on carrion. The Turkey Vulture can indentify if the carcass is too far gone to eat and not suitable for consumption. Having said that, at the same time, vultures have an immune system that allows them to eat almost anything – while feeding on old, smelly, rotting carcasses, they do so without contracting botulism, anthrax, cholera, or salmonella.  To prevent contracting any parasites while feeding, their heads contain no feathers.

Turkey Vultures have incredible eyesight, but their ability to smell rotting carcasses from far away is even more incredible. Said to able to smell carrion for over a mile away, Turkey Vultures have the largest olfactory (smelling) system of the entire bird kingdom. I don’t think there is a Bloodhound dog on the planet that can match that.

Although I find these birds majestic, smart, and an evolutionary marvel, they can be disgusting as well. The Turkey Vulture will regurgitate on another animal or bird if threatened or just annoyed at its presence. It will also regurgitate, not on, but around its young to protect them from predators. This vomit is too vile a smell for animals to approach and the Vulture’s young can feel safe. Another fun tidbit if you’re into the “gross out” of the Vulture: during the hot summer months they will often defecate on their feet to help cool themselves off.

In the same family as the California Condor, the Turkey Vulture is sort of my Condor of today. I really enjoy watching these giant birds group together. Although they can be seen throughout the county, my favorite place to observe these giants is Lake Murray. They are usually found in a group of five or six, but I have seen as many as 15 plus at times. In the morning hours, you can see them in the trees with their wings open wide to absorb the warmth of the morning sun. In the later parts of the day, you can see them by the water’s edge – maybe picking at scraps of dead fish. And, of course, just watching them sore overhead is an enjoyable site.

Groups of vultures spiraling upward to gain altitude are called "kettles". As vultures catch thermal updrafts, they take on the appearance of water boiling in a pot – hence the name kettle. Turkey vultures have been reported by aircraft pilots to rise to as high as 20,000 feet and soar for hours without flapping their wings.

I believe we all connect with others and ourselves better if we connect with nature and the outdoors. Birds are a wonderful way of doing this. Connecting with nature can be as simple as observing a bird in flight or perched on a branch singing. Nature’s gift, enjoy it! As you can see from my close-up photos, they sure are handsome fellows.