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As common as it is, there is not much information about the family life or breeding biology of the Black Vulture a.k.a. American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus). Black Vulture’s nests, eggs, and chicks are well known, but most of this information comes from a relatively small number of nests.
Black Vultures have a discreet and reclusive family life. This article goes over some interesting facts about the way Black Vultures find a mate, select a nest site, and incubate the eggs. It also goes over the appearance of the egg, chicks, and the development of the young vultures.
Do Black Vultures mate for life?
Yes, Black Vultures mate for life but will re-mate with another individual if one member of the pair dies.
Mating for life appears not to be an absolute arrangement among birds thought to mate for life. Bird studies of paired birds in long-term relationships showed that some pairs split for no apparent reason. As if both members of the pair part ways in a friendly and civilized way.
While Black Vultures are thought to mate for life, friendly pair splits may also occur among Black Vultures as well.
Mated vulture pairs stay together, or in the same flock and in the general area during the breeding season and outside the breeding season. Perching together, roosting in close proximity, and flying together is often an indication that those two birds are part of a mated pair.
The mating of Black Vultures is an event rarely seen in nature.
What do they do to find a mate?
Apart from the general conditions, such as being in good health conditions and having an “acceptable status” in the flock, it is difficult to tell the fine-grain features that vultures use as cues to find a mate.
First-time pair formation and getting ready for the breeding season among mated pairs involves several courtships displays, including:
- Aerial chases consist of one bird, the male, diving at the prospective female. This behavior is perhaps the most easily observed. While in flight, the male gains a higher altitude than the prospective female. Then, he dives at her, and she dives away, resulting in a fast descending chase downwards that can last 3 to 4 seconds.
- Circling Display, consists of the male circling a standing female with its neck stretched out forward as he emits hissing sounds.
- Open wing facing, which consists of the pair facing each other with their open wings as they bob their heads up and down.
The success of this display behavior is generally conducive to a pair formation or reinforcing an existing relationship as a prelude to starting breeding.
How can one tell a male from a female Black Vulture?
You can’t. The Black Vulture is a monomorphic species, meaning there is no difference in appearance between males and females.
Both sexes are uniformly black. Adult and fully-grown immature birds measure about:
- 25” from the tip of the bill to the tip of the tail,
- 59” of wingspan, or length between the tips of the spread wings, and
- weigh about 4.4 lb (2,000 grams).
Where do Black Vultures nest?
They nest in a variety of secluded places, most of which have in common resembling a small cave. The majority of nests are placed on the ground under thickets.
Other nests are placed in rock crevices, underbrush piles, under fallen tree trunks, abandoned buildings, or other places that have a cave-like appearance.
The nesting pair assesses the safety of the nesting for a period of 4 to 6 weeks prior to committing to a nest site. Both birds spend hours perched together near the prospective nest site, apparently checking for the traffic of possible predators and other risks to the eggs and chicks.
Ground nesting birds, in general, are at a higher risk of predation than birds that nest off the ground.
How many eggs do Black Vultures lay?
They normally lay two eggs on a small depression on the ground or other surfaces, without an actual nest. On rare occasions, they lay 3 eggs or a single egg per nest.
Eggs are laid either on two consecutive days or two to three days apart.
How long does it take an egg to hatch?
The eggs normally hatch in 38.5 days with a span of 38 to 39 days. The chicks usually hatch one or two days apart depending on when vultures start incubating the eggs.
Black vultures sometimes begin incubating the eggs as soon as she lays the first egg. Other times she waits until the second egg is laid to start incubating the eggs.
The initiation of incubation of the eggs makes a difference in the time it takes for each egg to hatch.
Both parents share the incubation duties nearly equally, with multiple changeovers during the day.
What does a Black Vulture egg and chicks look like?
While the egg color and pattern may differ geographically, the appearance of young Black Vultures is consistently similar.
The egg of a Black Vulture is pale bluish or pale greenish with brown spots. The size and density of brown spots on the eggshell vary geographically. However, the wider side of the egg consistently appears to show a higher concentration of brown spots.
Newly hatched Black Vultures have a coat of dense beige or light brown down. They hatch with their eyes open. The eyes are dark with the skin on their face and bill black. This baby vulture is about 15 days old.
By the 17th day after hatching, feathers begin to grow under the coat of down. Feathers are not noticed until the young bird is about 30-35 days old, when some of the down begins to fall off. This young vulture is about 60 days old.
Not many people have seen an actual egg and chick Black vulture because nests are well hidden. The parents do not give away many leads towards the location of the nest.
Ornithologists purposely studying the nesting biology of Black Vultures know the clues that reveal the birds have a nest at a location nearby.
After egg-laying, how long does it take a baby vulture to fledge?
In their studies on Black Vulture development, ornithologists Thomas (1928) and Mchargue (1981) determined that it takes approximately 79 days from the time an egg is laid to the time a young vulture takes its first flight.
The approximate sequence is as follows:
- Egg-laying to hatching (incubation period): Approximately 38.5 days.
- Feathers begin to appear: 17-23 days.
- Young fully feathered: 65 days.
- First flight: Between 75-80 days of age.
Because the eggs hatch on different days, one chick is generally larger than the other. This difference in size and development results in one chick attaining each milestone earlier than the other.
In about a month after hatching, the young vultures begin to take steps at or near the nest.
Once they fledge the nest, young vultures remain in the vicinity of the nest location for approximately 10 days performing practice flights.
After the flying muscles are ready and they have acquired some experience, the family unit moves on to look for food away from the nest site.
Adult Black Vulture feeding young.
What do baby black vultures eat?
Newly hatched young vultures are fed pre-digested liquid food. Both parents will make a special liquid food from the food they normally eat.
At a feeding visit, one of the parents reaches the bill of a young vulture, which reacts to the stimulus by raising its head up so that the flow of liquid from the parent to the chick begins.
After only 15 days, the food type goes from liquid to semi-solid. As the chicks get older, the parents bring solid food from their crops and deliver it to the chicks in the nest directly bill to bill.
Food delivery, during approximately the first 10 days, happens at a frequency of approximately 15 to 20 times per day. As the chicks get older, the feeding frequency diminishes to a point that is only 2-4 times per day and consists of solid food.
Final Remarks
Black Vultures are remarkable birds with a very important role in nature; they promptly get rid of dead animals that may smell for weeks and help reduce the spread of diseases.
Knowing some of the interesting facts about their family lives brought up in this article may help to understand them a little better.
References:
- Gill, Frank (1995). Ornithology. New York: W.H. Freeman.
- Mchargue, L. A. (1981). Black Vulture nesting, behavior, and growth. Auk 98:182-185.
- Thomas, E. S. (1928). Nesting of the Black Vulture in Hocking County, Ohio. Ohio State Mus. Sci. Bull. 1:29-35.
- Allaboutbird
In 2016, a pair of black vultures appeared in the atrium of our elementary school, and the female laid her eggs here. They have returned every year since then. It has been a fascinating experience for the students. I have done a lot of research on these fascinating birds and have learned a lot through observation. Last year we were able to observe one of the chicks hatching. She always lays her eggs right next to one of the windows. This year, we had a horrible polar vortex come through. It is the first year that she has only laid one egg. I know that they can lay 1 or 3 eggs, however I am just wondering if the weather might have had something to do with her only laying one egg this year.
Allison Wheeler
Houston, Texas
I live in Magnolia, TX. I had a pair that ended up in my yard 5 yrs. ago because 1 was injured. I fed them everyday and they decided to stay here in “their” garage. Last year they left and 1 yr old came back to nest. usually they don’t successfully breed til 2 yrs. old. They laid 2 eggs. a week before freeze. The eggs and parents are still there as of yesterday. i will let you know if they hatch. Usually in 40 days. I don’t think cold weather effected egg count if before freeze. Bless you for caring for them. You truly are an Angel. Most reports say they only hiss. But I have heard them vocalizing toeach other and the eggs and babies. It sounds just like people cooing to sooth there babies. Just walk near their nest near evening or early morning when both there. then walk away and wait. It sounds like 2 parents discussing if the babies are ok. And then they cooing/humming to eggs to reassure them.
Hi Joanne, what a great story. Yes, vultures are truly amazing. They happen to eat carrion, and that is a curse and blessing. People associate them with dead and smelly animals. The blessing comes from getting rid of precisely dead animals that otherwise could mean harm to other animals and humans.
I’d love to hear about what the vultures at your house do!
I have or had a couple coming to my house but the last couple days the male hasn’t came with his mate. I think something happened to her. He came two days after he didn’t come with his mate. He had another female. Wanted nothing to do with me. He sat on my porch as always. The female be brought wanted no part of me. So today he came without her. I think something happened to his mate Mrs pretty. I’m absolutely heartbroken that I will never see the sweetness they had for each other. Hopefully he’ll continue to come see me. Maybe he’ll have another Mrs pretty and she’ll give me a chance to be her friend.
Hi Denise,
…or she, the new female, may warm up to you eventually. She may not be used to having people close to her as the other female might have been. Give her some time.
Al
Love ❤︎✔︎
We’ve had a pair that made our old barn their nesting ground for last tear and this year. Unfortunately while we were gone camping, thier eggs disappeared. Pretty certain Raccoons got them, as there were paw prints in the dirt all over the old barn floor. Were no shells anywhere. Is sad, now they probably won’t nest here anymore because they don’t feel safe. 😔
Hi Patches,
Yes, they may choose another site to try again.
Good luck,
Al
What did you feed them?
Hi Allison,
Great to hear that you guys enjoy the wonders of birds; vultures in this case.
Vultures are indeed amazing. We plan on writing more about vultures of the new world (the Americas).
Regarding your question about the female laying only one egg, it could be related. Any source of stress will make birds react differently. The unusual cold front in Texas may have caused stress and trigger a hormone suppression that resulted in the female stopping laying additional eggs.
It’d be interesting to know if she stopped laying eggs or will continue laying the rest when conditions improve. If she stopped now, I guess that would be it for the season…but I would like to know if you continue monitoring the nest. Please keep us posted!
Regards,
We’re out in the country in central Texas. A young black vulture pair have been hanging around and….playing with our dog’s rubber balls. One vulture is very interested, scooting the ball with its feet, picking it up and dropping it so it rolls and he follows it and repeats (no idea if this is a guy). Yesterday the pair showed up, each chose a ball and played. They were down there almost 3 hrs! There’s a larger soccer ball too and I noticed it had been moved about 4 yards, though I didn’t see it happen. Ever heard of such a thing? I dread to tell the story because it seems I’m making stuff up!
This isn’t all that uncommon for Black Vultures! Vultures are highly intelligent birds, and thus are naturally very inquisitive and—when content with their surroundings—playful. Vultures in captivity, who are usually non-releasable due to certain injuries or imprinting on humans, require a lot of enrichment in order to be kept content and healthy. This includes providing them with toys to chew on and tug at or shred (natural vulture behaviors, especially when eating), puzzle feeders (like the ones for dogs), and regular walks outside (yes, walks—vultures like to go on walks!). While play behavior may not occur—or at least be documented—as much in vultures in the wild, they do engage in it, especially the young birds. There are some videos on YouTube of wild Black Vultures playing with dog toys and tree branches in people’s yards, which I recommend checking out if you’re interested.
Hi Jot,
This is quite normal. Vultures are rather curious and like to play with things they find interesting. They often peck and peel rubber from cars and other things, which often gets them in trouble as they can cause damage to property.
Regards,
Al.
Allison,
Some observers have reported that Black Vultures place their eggs on top of their feet during incubation. Have you seen this behavior?
Thanks,
David Pitts
I’m so glad to have found this site! For the past 5-6 years a pair of Black Vultures have nested in an old barn loft of the hay farm next door. They began coming to our home I think because of the ravens that I’d put raw eggs out for. After a year they became near daily visitors and will actually allow me to get within 3 or so feet of them. They tolerate my 2 dogs and 2 cats but don’t seem comfortable with my husband being close by. This year for the first time they brought along their one fledgling. We put out chicken parts, especially during the covid pandemic when there were so few roadkills. We hung a ribbon with bells on the back door and they announce themselves by either ringing them or pecking at the glass door. I have so many short videos and photos that I’d love to share should anyone know how I might do that. Today it seems that just the adults are visiting, makes me hope their “little” one is OK.
Marjory Greenberg-Vaughn
Saugerties, NY
❤︎✔︎
This is actually a new posting as “our” black vultures remain visiting our home. The barn they once nested in was sold and their access to the loft sealed off late fall last year. I was really concerned that they would go somewhere and I would be missing them. Well, they have obviously found a new nesting site and are again here almost every day, sometimes several times a day. Initially they came as a pair. They performed their mating ritual and of late they come one at a time so I’m assuming they have successfully hatched their young. I can tell them apart because the male, observed mating, is missing several digits of toes on both feet. This week they began coming all throughout the day and I’m hoping there are more than one chick. Last year they brought their young one, fully feathered with a tuft of down atop it’s head. I got to observe them feeding it … it was quite thrilling. The male remains more shy but the female will take a chicken leg from my hand.
Is there possibly a place to post short videos or stills? I think other vulture enthusiasts would enjoy them.
My name is marc. I live in Pa. Found two black vultures living in old hunting cabin. One I suppose is female is under the steps. I have been feeding them and visiting them. On a daily basis to find me as a friend I am in love with them. But will my presence make them think it is an unsafe place to have their babies?😞
Hello Mark,
I don’t think so. Particularly if you are bringing food. They will associate you with food and someone who mean no harm. Glad you have developed a bond with the vultures there. They are awesome birds!
Al.
I am delighted to find a story, recently published, about Black Vultures! Good information and narratives are difficult to find. Last year, a bonded adult pair used my old barn as a breeding site and successfully raised one fledgling. The second egg did not hatch. The adults used one of the decks on my home to raise quite a noisy commotion for two days to lure the baby from the barn. Then, that deck was a home base from July through October. In the first weeks of the fledgling being out in the world, the parents would leave the baby on my deck while they went off to feed. Yes, seems I was the Vulture-Sitter! This week, the adults returned to the barn! I can only hope they choose it again, as seems likely, for breeding. I hope it’s ok to include my blog with a post I created after their visit this week: https://www.sandyobodzinski.com/post/brown-eyed-girl-and-her-mate
I look forward to reading more about Black Vultures here in the future! Thank you!
Sandy, we have had black vultures nesting in a dark grain room in our mostly unused barn for at least 10 years. From other information it sounds like they generally do return to a nest for many years if it is suitable. I think they have nested successfully all or most years, though I only started monitoring in 2020, when they successfully raised 2 chicks. Don’t know if it is the same pair, or perhaps another generation at this point (wish I knew how to identify individuals). This year the first egg was laid around March 7, with a total of two eggs now (in central Maryland, for weather comparison). It is so wonderful to observe them, though we try to only get close infrequently. In case of interest to you, we have used the NestWatch app, from Cornell Lab, to record nesting activity for the black vultures. May provide useful information for ornithologists.
Hello Sandy, great story about black vultures nesting in your barn, and nice pictures too! No problem about including your link. I went to it right away.
I hope the pair that just returned nest in your barn again. This is the time when they start scoping potential nesting sites.
Keep us posted!
I thoroughly enjoyed the information in this article. Thank you for sharing. As of today we have 2 eggs in our barn again. Almost a year to the day apart. We had just bought the property last year at this time and found the eggs, to our surprise, in an old grain bin. We enjoyed watching them grow. It is indeed the same pair, at least one of them is. It has a very distinct permanent limp so we know it is the same one. We closed access to the old grain bin in hopes that possibly they would find a new nesting location altogether. But no. They just decided to lay the eggs behind the grain bin. Not as protected but still out of most harms way. Guess we will get to watch them raise more babies. I actually have Video of their mating ritual. So it didn’t surprise me that they are back here with a couple more babies on the way.
Hi Cheri,
Glad to hear about your vultures nesting in the barn. If they that spot safe and are successful raising young vultures there, they are likely to return every year.
I hope they do!
Several years ago I accidentally found a pair of young chicks in a falling down shed in my back yard. Last year the eggs disappeared. Today I found Mom? with 2 eggs. I am so worried that the falling down shed is on it’s last legs and could fall on them! I love having them here, but would hate for them to get hurt.
Hi Vicki,
Don’t worry too much about the shed falling. I am sure that nesting spot is safer than nesting in the wild where they are exposed to many predators that can eat their eggs and chicks. They chose that spot for a reason!
Regards,
Thank you for your great article. It is hard to find information on black vultures! We have an old barn with rafters and some planks across the rafters to make a partial floor in the loft. Below is an area walled off into a room on the ground level. We have discovered a vulture nesting in this room area with an egg. I can’t understand how they can get in and out. There is an old stove they could hop on, but then they still have to get up to the rafters, about 7 feet from floor to ceiling. The stove is about 3 feet high. I’m also concerned the chicks won’t be able to get out. I would very much appreciate knowing what you think.
Hi Patti, and sorry for the delay in responding.
Don’t worry about the chick not being able to get out. If the parents can get in and out with no problem, they will lead the chick through the same route when it is ready to leave.
If you notice that the chick can’t get out, you could perhaps open a door or window to let the young vulture out. My guess is that it will not have any problem following its parents along the access route they normally use.
Regards,
Regards,
We had a pair of vultures nest on the ground under some fallen tree trunks in a back corner of our brick walled back courtyard this spring. Two eggs hatched two chicks. The parents shared the nest sitting & feeding. But with the recent heavy rains in San Antonio may have lead to the demise of our chicks. We haven’t seen them in a couple weeks. But the parents still hang around like before. Would the parents have moved the nest if the original location proved too wet or if it flooded? Or the chicks may have drowned, or got sick & died, or been lost to some predator; and the parents are hanging around searching for the chicks.
Any thoughts?
Hello Minton,
If you still see the parents then it is quite likely that chicks are still there somewhere.
I would not know what happened during the heavy rain in the San Antonio area and how old where the chicks when the series of heavy rainfall happened. If the chicks were older than a week or two and their nest got moderately flooded, they might have walked away from the nest to where there was no water; slightly higher grounds. They may still be there and the parents continue feeding them at the new place away from the nest. If the parents are still in the area, this is more likely to be the case. Vultures or any other birds move on and leave the area when they realize that the nesting attempt failed.
Another possibility is that the chicks drowned and the parents started a new nesting attempt. If this is the case though, you would mostly see one bird at a time because the other is incubating.
I am more inclined to think that the chicks are still somewhere there and the parents continue feeding them; I certainly hope this is the case.
Thank you for visiting Avian Report.
Just found this article as i was looking for information on black vultures and egg/chick development. Found a “nest” with two eggs under a falling down shed when I was meeting someone about clearing the area. I am in south GA so long long growing season. If we wait 80-90 days for chicks to hatch and fly, can we safely remove old structure and their nest site without endangering them. There are lots of trees, stumps, and brush piles around. I just want old falling barn gown (it was tin roof shed that fell over 10 years ago).
Hi Judy,
Yes, please wait for them to hatch, grow, and leave the area with their parents. After that, it is safe to remove the shed or barn.
Please be aware that they will be walking in about a month after hatching but will be unable to fly. Even if you no longer see them in the nest, they are hiding somewhere, thus, removing the structure under the impression that they are no longer in the nest could harm the young vultures.
Thank you for being patient. Vultures are great animals.
Monitor them and let us know what you observe.
Al.
They will be quite visible when they are with their parents
A pair of black vultures showed up on my balcony during a terrible storm. They would sit in two big blue pots and continued to come every day. My son and I heard them making very sweet bird calls . One day one of the pair remained sitting in the pot all day. We saw that she laid an egg in the evening. Next day we saw a second egg. She laid those eggs on the 26 th and 27th of May. We were wondering why we didn’t see the pair sitting on the pots anymore, but after reading your article we understood that the pair are taking turns taking care of the eggs. The eggs are rarely left alone, when they are left alone the parent flies to a telephone pole that is nearby and in very close range from the nest., there it takes a break often stretching its wings . We check on them everyday and hope that all goes well for this family. We love being able to watch them!
Great, I would love to have something like that at home. I am sure it is going to be a joy watching them hatch, grow, and fledge soon.
I am glad you enjoy your vultures. They are really amazing.
Regards,
It is so awesome to find info on vultures! We’ve had a pair that have been living in an old chicken coop no longer used because currently we have no chickens. It has the cave like characteristics, no windows and only a small door which stays open. Over grown with trees, and dark, it has proven to be ideal for them. They’ve been noticeably present for over two years now. They sit and watch us whatever we are doing outdoors. Yesterday, I noticed them standing in top of the coop spreading their wings out wide and holding them out like that. Then I saw that there were three of them, one a bit smaller. I’m thinking it’s a baby that has feathered out and accompanying them. It’s amazing! Not knowing they had laid or anything, we at first thought they were spreading their wings like that because there may be a snake or something that they see? But then we saw a third vulture, and figured it was their baby. They do their thing. We so ours. We are in the process of clearing trees and overgrowth, but we will leave that corner as it is, just for their little family. 😁 They arent afraid of us mowing and chainsaws whirring, nor does the burn pile approximately 80 feet from their home bother them. It’s just cool how we can share our habitat. But, if I repopulate my chickens one day, for eggs, what should I expect? Will they attack the chickens who will be free range? We’ve had a few yard kittens come up missing over the past three years. But then, I did run a bobcat off around that time, so, who knows? Living out in the country is awesome though. Truly.
Hi Karen, sorry about taking so long to reply.
Nice to hear that you are happy to share your property with the vultures. Some people scare them away due to the vultures’ reputation of eating dead animals.
Don’t worry about the vultures if you bring chickens. Vultures nest in cave-like areas free of disturbances. Once the chickens are around they will abandon that nesting spot and look for another one.
Please make sure that they are not incubating or have chicks in the chicken coop before you bring the chickens. If they have eggs or nestlings, the parent vultures would become defensive and may even attack the chicken to defend their eggs or nestlings.
Black vultures are actually rather shy.
Regards,
We moved into our house in March. We have an old, dilapidated barn on our land. Upon venturing into it, a black vulture flew up to the rafters (out of an old horse stall). She then flew to a nearby tree. We found two eggs in the corner. So we shut the door of the stall and left her and the eggs alone. Since then, I have visited the barn once a week, or every two weeks. One egg did not hatch. However, we do have one baby. Every time I go in, mom flies at me, then up to the tree close by. The baby is still yellow in color and just breathes loudly, (sounds like a demon!)
Last night I went in and mom was no where around! That’s the first time I didn’t see her. I didn’t have a good light at the time, but the “nest” has always been just dirt. The baby appears to be sitting on something black. I hope it’s not the mom! Would that be the case if she died? I’m worried something happened to her. The baby is about two months old. I’ll check again today. But should I just leave them alone? How will the baby get food if something did happen? Do I let nature take its course or try to throw some food in there? If so, what food? Thanks! (Hopefully you can see the pic)
file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/78/08/88ECC908-45D6-4C5F-B1BF-1A8151030259/FullSizeRender.jpeg
Hi Nicki, baby vultures hiss at you as a defense mechanism. It works! as you describe the hissing as sounding like a “demon sound” 🙂
The fact the parents are not around as much as they used to is perfectly normal. As the baby vultures grow, the parents leave them for longer periods of time as they often need to find more food for the growing nestlings. When the nestlings are older, their parents will often leave for half or most of the day; that is normal too.
Do not worry about the baby black vulture being hungry. Its parents are feeding it.
I saw your pics on Facebook. Thank you for sharing.
If my earlier picture didn’t come through, I posted it publicly on my Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/nicki.p.gilbert
I’d love to hear thoughts on the newest pic with the baby sitting on the “black object”
Thanks
Nice pics. That baby vulture is pretty big!
Al
We live east of Dallas Texas. We have a nice large metal six stall barn. Last year, a pair of black cultures chose our barn for their nesting site. The first year appeared to be a “wedding”, as we observed several males courting our bride. She finally chose one gentleman (or he drove off the others)!
We don’t think they had a successful hatching last year, but they stayed in and around the barn throughout the year, sometimes roasting on the top of the tack room, under the rafters. This spring, they laid 2 eggs on the dirt floor of one of the stalls. We use some of the stalls for storage, including the one they played in. 2 chicks hatched in mid-late March, meaning the eggs were laid about the time of the ” Big Freeze”.
One chick was much larger than the other and the smaller one didn’t survive. It appeared that the parents allowed the larger chick to feed more, or it was more aggressive at feeding time. We tried to check on them every day and the parents were, and still are, very tolerant of our comings and goings in the barn. The chick also became very used to us. It has now fledged and last week the parents began bringing it out for flight training.
My husband calls them our “renters”, and they keep our small ranch free of dead pests, e.g. skunks, snakes, etc…
It has been wonderful to have them with us, although they are a bit messy in the barn, especially the nesting stall. Do you think that it would be okay to go into the nesting stall after baby has left for the rest of the summer, remove our boxes and clean up the area? The actual nest is in a corner of the 10 x 10 stall and not under any of our belongings.
Hi Gaby,
Great story. Yes vultures are great, but often under appreciated.
It would be just fine going into the stall and do what you need to do after the chicks have left. If things do not change too much, structurally, the adults will return to nest at the same spot.
Thank you for your consideration of the welfare of nesting birds!
Al
Update on our black vultures’ 2021 nesting attempts. (See earlier comment for general info.) First attempt was two eggs laid in early March, but those failed to hatch. Around 60 days after they had been laid, they disappeared one at a time. A few days later I spotted the pair of adults in the barn near where they nest – I assume getting ready for nesting. By May 23, two new eggs had been laid. One hatched perhaps on July 1 (one chick present on July 2 observation) and the second soon after (both chicks present on July 7). I did not know black vultures would do a second nesting attempt. The chicks are about 3 months behind where they would otherwise be but hopefully they will be plenty mature by winter. They are very interesting birds and we are glad they keep returning.
Hi Duane,
Glad to hear that your vultures were successful at raising a brood this year!
Large birds that have only one brood per nesting season generally attempt another brood if they lose their eggs early in the nesting season. In your case though your vultures’ egg did not hatch and took 60 days! yet they did it again.
In northerns states where the summer is relatively short, perhaps this would not have happened. Perhaps where you live, weather conditions are not as limiting and they can have a second attempt. For instance, in the tropical region, where the weather is warm throughout the year birds nest year round.
Thank you for the update.
Al
Hello, My husband services ships and came home with what I believe is a fledging. It is feathered out in the wings with down along its head and neck. The crew were going to toss it overboard so he brought it home. What is the best way to find a rehab organization? Will a solitary fledging unite with a flock ? I am in the SouthEast.
Hi Katherine,
Glad to hear that your husband did that!
Google “Wildlife Rehabilitation Centers in my area.” That search should give several leads.
About a solitary chick being able to join a flock…that is not a problem. Vultures need to form flocks to help each other find food.
I hope you find help for the baby vulture.
Regards,
Al
I have a pair who bring their baby to me each year.
They care for the baby months as an adult. Very intelligent and social
I live on a dirt road in the country, about 80 miles north of Houston. Last April, I was surprised to see a pair of Black Vultures hanging around an old, dilapidated open-fronted shed in the back of my property. After seeing them still there the second day, I googled their mating habits and read that they like to nest in caves. This shed is very cave-like. They laid two eggs around May 15 well in the back of the shed. The chicks hatched on June 20 and 21. It did not take long for the adults to become somewhat used to me peering in on them periodically. One of them would stay right by the chicks, even when I was only a couple of feet away from them. The other one was not quite so trusting but would not fly away beyond the tree outside the shed. According to what I found on the internet, I expected them to be gone within a few weeks. Long after the chicks were as large as the parents and able to fly, they hung around. I would often see them waddling into my back yard to hop up onto my bird bath where they would hang out for a while or flying up into the branches of a tree. The parents continued to return to feed them, at least some days. I do not know how often the parents returned for that, but the last time I witnessed it was mid August. At that point, I would see the chicks every few days, so I assumed they spent time off feeding themselves, too. I went out of town for 3 weeks, fully expecting never to see them again when I returned in mid September. But, to my great pleasure, I still see them occasionally. Sometimes I only see one at at time, but today there are three of them hanging around the shed. I assume it is the parents and one of the chicks. Is it common for chicks to stay with the parents this long? I have high hopes that they will nest in the shed again. Experiencing this has been a lot of fun.
Hi Mary Ann,
It is difficult to tell how long the parents stay with their offspring because it depends on several factors.
Black vultures do take longer and longer periods between feedings as the chicks get older. As you observed, often after days. Some say that this is to force them to get hungry and begin to find their own food, which makes sense.
I am guessing that young birds stay with their parents and depend on them longer when food is not readily available and the youngsters are not as good at finding food as the adults. Eventually, the young ones begin to follow their parents to lead them to sources of food and become nutritionally independent.
Al.
Thank you for this information. My vulture update is that there are still 3 vultures that seem to have made my shed their home. I do not see them every day, but they are here. I have seen them several times over the last couple of days, in my back yard or flying away or gliding in. My assumption is that it is the adults and one of the young, but I do not know if this young one is just slower to leave home or if the other young has not survived. Regardless, they seem to have made this their permanent residence. That makes me very happy on the one hand. But on the other hand, it tells me that they are not finding suitable habitat anymore that is farther away from people and the disturbances I cause them just by living here myself.
Hi, I have a pair of black vultures that have lived in the backyard for several years. They laid their eggs at the end of last month but It’s been particularly cold this year. She has left the nest several times for what seems to me like long periods of time. Will the babies survive the incubation process if she disappears for so long? Its 40 degrees out right now. I’m worried they won’t hatch!
Hi Cassandra,
Sorry about the delay in replying. It is only when both parents leave the nest that would be a cause of concern. If one bird leaves the nest, the other stays either incubating or brooding the young. They take 24-shifts doing parent duties when they are incubating or brooding the young vultures.
When the young vultures are old enough to thermoregulate their own temperature, both parents leave the nest to find food for the hungry growing young vultures.
Your vultures will be alright.
Regards,
Al
We’ve lived on our farm for 18 years – Fairplay, MD. For the first time, this year we have a black vulture nest in our little-used hay barn – on the floor, back of the barn. Two eggs. Amazing… I am thrilled!
Hi Pat,
That’s great. It’s going to be fun to see them grow.
Keep us posted,
Al.
I live on the east coast of central Florida. My home is in an area with few houses, a canal close by, wooded areas on 3 sides and across the street. To prevent raccoons from getting in the trash, I begin saving table scraps including any raw meat/ fat removed before cooking, and dumping them across the street at the edge of the woods. This was about 7 years ago. It did not take long before both turkey & black vultures begin stopping by to eat. Toward the end of summer the 1st year, I noticed what appeared to be a smaller bird (black vulture) eating while 2 others sat in the tree watching. They would fly down to run off the more aggressive birds allowing the ” baby” to eat. That was the beginning of my love affair with this baby, now grown bird. He/she, I call him baby bird, will drink out of my bird bath outside my LR window. If I do not acknowledge him, he will jump up and down outside the window until I throw him a hot dog or the scraps. lol If he sees me outside, he comes and hangs out in the yard. Needless to say, visitors freak out when my baby bird stands close by staring at them. lol Last spring, I noticed he/she had a partner and by Aug, they brought their baby to drink from their water bowl, sit under my tree and share in the scrapes. They even fed the baby in front of me.
I can not even begin to explain how blessed I feel to be a part of their lives. I wish others would see the importance of vultures. I am thrilled to finally find a website where others also see the beauty in vultures.
Thank you .
Hi Cindy, what a great story!!
There is something about baby birds hatching and growing in one’s yard. I have had a pair of Red-bellied Woodpecker nesting in a birdhouse for two years in a row. What joy it is to watch them.
Regards,
Al
Hi Cyndy and other vulture admirers! We live in suburban Nashville (TN.) on a 1 acre lot with lots of trees. We moved here in 1987 and there was an elevated children’s playhouse in sorry shape then but we left it as is and about 10 years ago a pair of vultures took up residence there one spring. And we have had them or 2 different vultures occupy the spot ever since, sometimes laying one egg, sometimes two. So every summer we get to watch the fledgling(s) move from hopping on the ground to short flights to longer ones. We’re always sorry when they leave in the fall. We don’t feed them but do make sure the bird bath is always full of clean water. I have had them fly up and land 4-6′ from where I am sitting and one day I saw our 2 cats and 3 vultures in a semi-circle, no more than 6″ apart, as if they were having a meeting, none bothered by the other. When the cats were still hunting down chipmunks we would put the carcasses out back for them but our cats passed several years ago and had given up hunting even then. We have no idea if it is the same pair, their baby with a mate or a different pair as we are told they winter in groups in nearby caves as a large river is only 1.5 miles away. Am told they mae for life and we love seeing them nuzzle one another as they sit on a branch, high up on our huge black walnut tree. It’s great to learn others sahre our interest and affection for these impressive creatures. John in Nashville
Yesterday there was a lone black vulture (large but possibly young) on the fence near our garage. He walked up and down the fence ( reminded me of a parrot on a perch!), didn’t seem at all nervous about us being very close to him. He stayed a few minutes, then flew (I didn’t see this) to a nearby tree. He has changed trees, but is still here. I am worried about him….from what I read/have known it is unusual to see a lone vulture. For a number of years, we had large groups (sometimes 50+) roosting at night in large old pine trees on our property. They moved around every few years but stayed in the area. I haven’t see the large group this year, and I am concerned about this one. Any ideas/suggestions? Thank you!
Hi Carole,
There is no reason to be concerned about black vultures not being at the usual roost site. They have multiple roost sites and can move from one to another according to the food availability in the area. Sometimes they can also abandon a roosting site—many reasons for this. For instance, if they were bothered by a raccoon that spooks them at night and made them take off, it may be a reason to switch the roosting sites.
Cheers
Al.
Update to my last post: He stayed in the trees, grooming and shuffling last night and for a couple of hours today, then, suddenly, flew out, swooped down, flew to me and over me, just missing my head and landed about 20 feet from me. The, he walked around the yard a bit. I went in to get my husband to see him, and now I can’t locate him. I don’t think he is far away, but at least I know he CAN fly. I wonder if he was born around people…he doesn’t really seem at all ill-at-ease. If I didn’t have a senior dog who really can’t afford to run and chase, I would be glad to have this guy around. Finnegan (our 12 & 1/2 year old Lab) has a bad leg and we try to keep him quiet as we can.
Hi Carole,
Good to hear your vulture is still around! It sounds like your bird is used to people. Not sure how it got to be that way. Some birds are more confident around people than others for sure.
Regards,
Al
Thank you, Al:
I haven’t seen “our” vulture again that I know of. I guess he must be back with his group and that is good! I was worried about him.
Carole
Thank you for your website. I appreciate animal lovers. I rescue cats and so leave out food in case any strays or abandoned ones come by from a nearly apartment. I have been able to help a number of foxes with mange as well, I have a number of black vultures who come by to clean up what is left. one of them has been hanging around day and night (which surprised me ) and it seemed like an older Thinner bird so I would occasionally give it a can of cat food. I came out This am and found a dead vulture under a bush and 2 vultures That seemed to be lying around it – almost over it and They were very quiet. Are you aware of any grieving ritual among vultures? Should I remove The bird or let it stay since it is not in a location I am That close to. Vultures will not Consume another vulture will They? Thank you for your response.
Hi Terri,
I am not sure if there is a grieving ritual among vultures. They are rather social and maintain family ties. Perhaps the one that died is part of the family and the others are surprised/sad??
Black vultures do not eat other black vultures.
I am not sure why it died. Burying it may be safer to prevent raccoons and opossums from eating it, just in case the vulture died from a disease. Be careful handling it.
Regards,
Al.
Yay! Happy to see all the Vulture lovers here. I had one stay in the pasture last night ( it scared the cows) and its still here this afternoon. Its just a single as far as I can tell, sunning itself on my lawn by the pasture. Can I feed it whole uncooked eggs?
Hi Shannon,
Good question, I am not sure black vultures would take the eggs. If they are cracked and open they may. I’ve never heard about black vultures stealing/eating bird’s eggs.
Nothing wrong with the eggs, just I am not sure if they would take them.
Regards,
Al
Hi, I am so very relieved and happy to find this site. I am falling in love with black vultures for the first time. Two vultures were hanging around for weeks, and then they were on the beams above an out of the way outdoor alcove where we usually keep supplies. I realized at some point that at least one of them was on the ground in the alcove at different times. For days after they started hanging out there, I would see both birds, and then sometimes one would go away. I have only seen one bird for the last 3 days, and I am worried that something happened to the other bird. I am not looking most of the time, but before I would see them both easily. The vulture that is here is on the ground on the flat rock in that alcove all day today, as far as I can tell. Yesterday they were sitting on the rim of a barrel we have full of water for a couple of hours. Does one of the mates ever abandon the other? Could it be coming back only at night and I am not seeing it? Is this one ok? Should I try feeding it something – putting something out for it? And if so, what? I really appreciate your help, I want them all to be ok. We are animal lovers in general, and now I am falling in love with vultures. Thank you, Jessica
Hi Jessica,
Glad to hear you enjoy vultures, they are awesome and often underappreciated.
What appears to have happened is that they were prospecting your site for a nesting attempt, they decided to nest there and now one is incubating while the other is around. They are doing fine. Over some time you will begin to see both adults again as they go back and forth bringing food for the young. You may even see the young walking on the ground. They are fine, nothing to worry about.
Good Luck,
Al.
Hello again, I am terribly sad. When I got up this morning the vulture that had been laying in the alcove on the rock was not moving. About 20 minutes later when I went to check the other vulture was there, walking around it. I had decided to leave some cat food in case the first one was hungry, so I left it about 20 feet away. The mate sat down next to the still bird for a while, and I could hear these little cooing sounds. Was it grieving? Eventually it got up and seemed like it was trying to get the first vulture to wake up. When I peeked my head into the open window it saw me and hissed. What happened? Should I have fed the first bird earlier. i know they were together on Wednesday, just did not see the second bird till today. Could it have been gone that long? Did the other bird die of disease, hunger, loneliness? If I had fed it could that have made a difference? Do you think the other bird might have been around anyway? As I said I only can watch them in the alcove a few minutes a day, but I did not see the other bird on the roof or rafters for a little over 72 hours. Could the first bird have died from hunger? ALSO, could there still be eggs under the first bird? And if we remove it will the mate sit on the eggs and help them hatch? I am truly sad and even crying. Thank you all for being here. I look forward to any of your guidance and expertise. Blessings.
Hi Jessica,
Sorry to hear that. Feeding or not the vultures would not have made any difference. They can find their own food without much trouble.
If one vulture was ill and motionless, it might have gotten poisoned. It is one of the main causes of vulture death. However, this is just a guess, I am not really sure what is happening.
Regarding the eggs, there is little one can do about them.
The remaining bird may come back with another mate the next nesting season and breed at the same spot.
Good luck,
Al.
One more update and followup. After the mate was here for 90 minutes to 2 or 3 hours yesterday he(?) left. He just came back this morning, and he is sitting next to his mate again. I had thought to try to pick up the body this morning and bury it, but if the mate is going to keep coming back I think perhaps it would be better not to do that? There is also no way for me to ascertain whether there are still eggs there under the one who has died or next to her. I just cant see in the angles. When he leaves today I could peek in there and see if I can see something from a little closer up, but I don’t know if I should try to move the body. What do you think? I had put out about 1/4 cup of raw ground chicken meat that we use for our cats yesterday when all this was happening and it is gone this morning, but I have not idea if the vulture ate it – we do have foxes though I have never seen them on that side of the house. We have groundhogs but I don’t think they eat meat and they are WELL fed in our vegetable scrap pile. I am still feeling quite sad, really grateful for this site, and truly looking forward to hearing from you. Blessings.
Dear Friends, The male bird is still here! The female died 48 hours ago, and the male came and is still sitting in there, and alternating with sitting on the beam about 8 feet above that. He does not seem to have left at all. He sits next to her dead body at times. I just don’t know if there are eggs in there. I have been putting out raw chicken meet in case he is trying to keep eggs viable, and he happily takes it. He is not gorging, because yesterday when I put out some more right after he had eaten, he did not take that. I would appreciate some advice in how to proceed. First, what do about the dead female’s body? Should I try to move it, or will it upset him. Not sure I can get in there without him trying to stop me, the space is like a walkin closet, maybe 5 feet across, it is just open at the top. And it is in an alcove so only one entrance, where he sits. There is no smell at all at this time, but it is going to get hotter today. Could the eggs be under her body? If they hatch can the babies get out from under her? Or is it more likely the eggs are next to her or near her. Wish I could see, but there is no angle that I can do that from without going in there. I guess my thought and hope is that he is staying to have eggs hatch and care for them, and he will figure out how to help them if they are underneath her body. Does this seem possible? There is still the question of the body though. I am sorry to keep writing, but I really feel endeared to this couple, and want to assist them in any way I can. Looking forward to hearing from someone. thank you for being here. Jessica
Hi Jessica,
I think it would be safe to remove the dead vulture and dispose of it. Chances are the other bird is not going to continue incubating them. However, the remaining bird may return with another mate to nest at the same place.
I hope all works out.
Al
After reading your discussion on the black vulture, I wonder if we have a pair checking out a possible nesting site near our home. We have observed them for the last week always perched in the same tree on the same branch. We live in Florida near Parrish. That southeast of Tampa, but a relatively rural area. Lots of small housing developments. Also plenty of opportunities for carrion and small game. I’m not sure of the nesting season in the area, so their behavior had me stumped until I read your piece.
Thanks for a good description of this “seedy” but majestic bird.
Bill
You are welcome Bill.
Al.
Hi, is it normal for a juvenile vulture to be alone? I have had one for the past day in my yard eating what appears to be worms and bugs. Roosted in a tree in the yard last night and back to bug/worm hunting this a.m. Thanks, Mandy
Hello Mandy,
Yes, it is normal for a single young vulture to be alone. It is perhaps the only surviving of the brood.
Regards,
Dave.
Hi, we had a pair of vultures nest in an old abandoned outbuilding in early Spring, or late Winter. I didn’t mind, but sometimes they would land on our chimney, which is one of those brick, tall ones of older homes. They knocked a brick loose almost every time they were up there, I would holler at them to get off the roof , and they would light in the top of an old pecan tree. We haven’t seen anything of babies, as the building is enclosed by bamboo now.
All of a sudden last Saturday, two big babies emerged, and stand around in our yard. I wasn’t sure if they were babies or adult, but looks like they may have a tiny bit of white fuzz around their face. The problem is, there has been a bad avian flu epidemic, not 5 miles from me, they found 700 dead vultures, and the wildlife sanctuary they were in, is closed for a time, they had to do a cleanup, with the govt. coming in.
I haven’t seen the parents, in about 2 weeks, except, i think I might have seen, one or both Sunday. One on my chimney, and the other in the pecan tree, shortly, and both flew away. The babies keep just standing around in the yard, we were afraid maybe something happened to the parents. I threw them some pieces of chicken and boneless pork rib, which they devoured. They have gotten somewhat used to me, I talk to them when I see them. they will just stand and look at me with their head cocked, like they are listening. We aren’t sure what to do, or do nothing. We hate to see them starve, but I’m not sure mom and dad are around. They are big enough, I thought they were the grown parents, that were sick at first, but I can tell they are the babies now.
We live in the countryside near Waxahachie, TX and this year is the 4th that a breeding pair of black vultures have laid eggs. It has been wonderful watching the chicks develope into adults each year.
Today we noticed one of them in our backyard with it’s head hanging low to the ground. I approached it and it hopped away, it had a leg missing with blood evident. I called animal control and they asked if I could put it down as it would not live long and was suffering.
When we checked the barn the 2 eggs were still there and signs of blood where the vulture had been sitting. Sadly we believe that only one parent will not be able to perform the tasks of two and the chicks will never hatch.
Is there any chance the lone parent will mate up again in time to save the eggs?
Sean,
I am afraid that the clutch is going to be lost. The surviving parent will find a new mate, but the new mate will want to have his or her own offspring, not someone else’s. I hope the renest somewhere in your place, perhaps not at the same spot since it appears to be accessible to predators.
Good luck,
Al
Goo luck< All
I have a pair of black vultures who have nested in the attic of my old cow milk barn. They aren’t afraid of me at all and sit in top and sun. I have seen them breed as well. They usually have 2 chicks. This year one has left the attic a little earlier than the other so it is in the barn. I’m hoping the parents will feed it as well as the one still in the attic. I thought of trying to put it back in the attic but I’m sure the parents know where it is. It’s wing feathers are all in and still has a small amount of fuzz so close to coming out anyhow. And yes they do have sweet sounds they make to the young.
Would love to put a camera up one year to watch them hatch and grow.
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Perhaps someone here has experience setting webcams. I am sure there is help on-line for this type of projects.
Good luck,
AL
Yes that would be great and it would be such a great learning experience to follow these birds. The one out of the attic is doing okay today and both parents are in the tree and in the barn. I’m just hoping they are feeding it ❤️
Lisa
PS.. I didn’t find much help online.
I have plenty videos of a pair that have been at my place for a month. One video is amazing of one of them playing with my dogs ball in the yard! Buddy and Honey have been wonderful to watch. Amazing beautiful Creatures!❤️❤️❤️
Hi Melinda,
I watched the video. That young vulture seems to be having fun with the pumpkin-like ball! Both seems to be used to you.
Enjoy them while they are still around, before they leave.
Sheers
Al.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kjFtpiEpt5uWwkMf8
Our “Big Birds” adopted us on March 23 2023, when a pair decided to mate on one of our birdbaths. The pair come around often and bring “Baby Big Bird” with them, a time or two. I am gaining their trust, more each day. They come within 3 feet of where I am sitting now.
Our stories are similar to everyone on this page. Here is a link to our website.
A couple of months ago a lone black vulture decided to live on n the front of my home in Parsippany NJ. The town apparently knows about “Victor” & told me to not feed him & just chase him & he will eventually leave. I tried to shoo him away but he just walks away & comes back again. He’s not doing any harm that I’m aware of & likes to just sit next to a particular plant in my garden or sit on my porch. Sometimes he taps at my front door. The problem I have is that he craps huge craps all over which is really gross. On my porch & in my driveway. Is there anything I can do to get him to find another place to live so he stops crapping all over?
Hello Linda,
I am assuming that this is a young black vulture and that it soon will be able to fly and go away?? Unless it is an injured adult?? If it is a young birds, it will leave the area eventually, perhaps in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, you can put up some kind of barrier to keep it from walking onto the area you don’t want it to come to.
If it is an injured adult, I would recommend calling a wildlife rehab center. The county usually has one or work with one or two. The county gets this type of request/question all the time.
Good luck< Al
Hi this is a wonderful thread! I hope to get some advice on two chicks that are in my barn. Last year, a vulture family moved in and we watched as mainly the female watched over her chick, taught him to fly, and then perhaps migrated for the winter. This year, two were back and there are two new hatchlings in the barn. I live in the northwest and it’s been an active spring. There was fox lurking around and I saw the Mom watching over it from a tree and tried to shew it from the barn. I have not seen the adults once this week, and the two babies are walking but still covered in fuzz. When is it time to get help for the babies if something happened to the adults? Many thanks for any advice!
Hello Christine,
That is normal. The parents feed the young frequently the first few weeks but feeding becomes less frequent as the chicks grow. A week of no showing to feed the young is normal. The parents will come back with crop full of food. I believe this has to do with the availability of food near the nest location.
Let us know when the adults come back.
Al.
Hi
What a great resource, thank you for your hard work.
We have two chicks in the top of our barn and unfortunately need to replace the roof ASAP.
They are pretty big, but still downy although they appear to have real feathers along the bottom edges of their wings.
Any ideas how old, or more importantly how long before they leave? I need to do the work, but what is more concerning to me is that it will get really hot in the next week on into the summer, and I know that on a sunny day when it’s in the eighties outside it’s easily 140 degrees up in the top of the barn right under the roof where they are.
Are they equipped to handle this? I can’t imaging they are. What should I do to help them? How long before I can seal it up safely?
Thank you for your time.
Hi Felix,
It takes about 85 days, on average, for baby vultures to fledge/leave the nest. This may be tricky in black vultures since they start walking around as soon as they are able to.
Regarding the age they may be, it is hard to tell. They begin to show a juvenile plumage (black feathers) noticeable after a month and half and keep chucks of down plumage until the time they are ready to fly. A good but rough and untested way to tell the age is by comparing the young birds’ size to the adults. Assuming that babies take about 2.8 to 3 months to leave the nest area, a juvenile half the size of an adult is about 1.5 months. One nearly the size of an adult is about 3 months.
You raise a good point regarding the hot temperature in the attic. I would imagine that the chicks would find a way to get out of there if it gets too hot. Having said that, moving them to the barn’s floor, assuming that the parents will have access to where they are moved to, as they will need to feed the chicks. Moving them to the barn’s floor has potential problems though, as the chicks will be vulnerable to predation by cats and dogs.
I would leave them where they are and monitor the situation. Make sure the chicks have access to an exit may help. Stacking wood or boxes to the exit hole (the one used by the parents to access the attic) in the attic may allow them to spend time by the entrance where it may be cooler or jump off when they are old enough and can fly.
Hope it helps.
Al.
I’m in Texas. We have a vulture family at our church that return every year to have their babies. They are in a center atrium area, protected from anyone “wandering” about. And it’s a windowed area for us, so we can all enjoy watching the birds, the eggs and the babies.
Hello Carol,
Seeing birds, any kind of bird, return to nest at your backyard (or church 🙂 is specieal and fulfilling, in my opinion.
Enjoy the babies walking around the nest area!
Al.
Hi Al,
This has turned into quite the saga. The short version is I went up to the barn attic on the second 98+ degree day and both birds were out flat on the floor, not moving, obviously near death. I brought them down and put one in a box in the air conditioning and when I went back out to get the other he had recovered and was up and ran into the bushes. I took the other to a wildlife rehab facility, and they pretty much refused to take it because they said it was healthy, apparently it caused a real ruckus in their exam room so I took it back and put the box in the bushes near where the other one went. It hasn’t moved much since, it is very weak. We have been feeding it hamburger four or five times a day and it has eaten a fair amount but is still extremely weak and wobbly. It has progressed to standing, but with its wings sort of dragging limp. The other one has made a strong comeback it seems and is occasionally sprinting around the property and flapping up onto things a few feet off the ground. The parents are around, but the juveniles are in separate locations and I have no indications that they have found each other. Once, I found the siblings close together when I took the hamburger out, but it may have been coincidence as it ran off and has not returned. I am kind of unsure what to do at this point, for while I am quite sure they would certainly have died in hours had I left them, I am also not sure if I have now created an even bigger problem in which they will now starve or suffer in some other way. I am just trying to share this experience, and if you have advice as to how to help them it would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Felix,
You did just fine, and appears that you saved the baby vulture’s life. What I would do is making sure that the parents see the chicks on the ground. Once the parents see them, they should start feeding them.
To do this, place food for the chicks outside the bushes where the parents can see the chicks from their perches. By placing food consistently in the same place, the chicks will return to that spot where the food is located. Once you observe that the parents saw the chicks on the ground, stop the feeding and let the parents take over. At that age, the chicks are not fed by the parents everyday but every few days and even a week.
Monitor the situation and see how things unfold. Seeing the parents with the chicks or on the ground near where the chicks are located/hiding would be the signal that they have found each other.
Good luck and keep us posted on how things unfold.
Al.
Hi,
I work on a farm and the vultures have been having babies in one of the run down barns for years. They always have their chicks in a concrete block room that was on the side of the barn. This year the ceiling and wall fell in where they usually nest. One baby was in there and survived. The parents seem to be coming and feeding it but does it need water. Where the door fell in we placed a piece of cattle panel to keep critters away when the baby was little. Should we remove that now – the chick could actually fit thru the panel. Also does it need water now that it is on solid food? Should I put a bucket of water in its area. It has been so hot and dry.
Thanks,
Jamie
Hello Jamie,
I would recommend to keep the cattle panel in place to prevent cats and dogs from getting to where the chick is. The chick can move within the enclosure and when it grows bigger, it will be able to fly/jump out on its own. Regarding the need for water, that would not hurt. The chicks get their water in the food the parents bring for them. I would asume in such hot temperatures, the parents would bring food with extra water in it. I would lean towards letting nature take its course with minimal intervention.
Good luck,
Al.
I’m in central NC, very wooded area with few homes, and we have a black vulture who is injured with a broken leg and wing. I called the wildlife rehab folks several weeks ago and was told they’d only take him if I could catch him and bring him in. I didn’t want to do that and was told to let nature take its course. Fast forward to today, and “Eric” is still here. He just hops around. I’ve observed deer going up close to him and one tried to step on him. Today I noticed that where once his leg and foot dangled uselessly from halfway down, now it’s missing the lower leg and foot. He stays very close to our house, like within feet of the structure, and we suspect he sleeps under our back deck. We’ve had a lot of rain so I know he can get water, but he can’t fly due to the broken wing. It is killing me watching poor Eric just hop around. After reading this article and comments, I realize Eric’s mate must have been here a few days ago when I observed her flying from the sky to the ground where he was and flapped her wings at him. Then she was walking away and he was hopping behind her. Then she flew up onto our roof. I’ve not seen her since then. Is there anything I can do for this poor creature??? My husband thinks we shouldn’t feed him so he’ll move on, but it’s been weeks now that Eric has stayed. I don’t really know what I should feed him or if I should.
Hello Kim,
It is ok to feed the vulture. However, having a broken leg and wing may not help as this bird will never be able to fly. Unless someone wants to keep it and care for it, I am afraid it is not going to be able to make it on its own.
Al.
A neighbor tore down an old barn, and I think the adults with fledglings were forced onto our 5 acre property surrounded by woods. The two fledglings, especially the smaller of the two (who can both fly now) have adopted us and hang out on our deck and roof and sleep in a nearby pine tree. They allow me to get within inches of their beaks as they feed on the dog treats we put out for them, which I consider a huge privilege. We see them every day, and get to watch them interact with each other. They are so loving and sweet to one another. Our song birds are getting used to them now and don’t seem to fear them. I have some great photos, but don’t see how to share them here.
Hello Savana,
Nice to hear about the baby vultures. They are pleasant and familiarized with people rather fast.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a way to share photos on the site. Please, check ebird.org where folks share their bird photos and videos.
Good luck,
Al.
Okay, not an expert, just a caretaker for seven years. Noticed the circular, mostly partially, mating dance before the mounting. The male sticks out his partially unfolded wings and does some unsyncopated (okay, not a word) moved in and out from hi body. Then he also vibrates his chest, I’m guessing ten times a second. Remember, I’m thinking from memory which was around four years ago. Funny as much as I feed them that I haven’t seen it again.
Also, want to note something else I haven’t read. They really kick their kids to the curb around January. They chase the fledglings from the food source. Had a partially handicapped (knee and wing?) chick that they let stay an extra month this year, but he/she is gone too. They don’t let any of their fledglings ever come back. I think one might have tried six months later but it was a one-time feeble attempt.
I’ve noticed some things that could be anecdotal. They have walked in through the front door and pulled stuff out onto the porch, but they never call me to feed them. The handicapped one did but his/her mother was close by, so it was like his universal “I’m hungry, dang it!” call. I think he did it one time when alone and staring at the front door on the porch. The parents are way more bolder about me than the fledglings ever were, though. They’ll all feed from your hand but they never want you to touch them. Anyway, enough talking.
Hello Dee,
These are rather nice observations of black vulture natural history. Folks read the comments here and hope they run into your post. I found the mating dance and chest vibration interesting!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Al Begazo
Okay, this one has me scratching my head. First year with the vultures in my shed. I’ve observing behavior with what has been described here, from adults scoping out the site, to the adults trying to get the single fledgling out of their hair. They have become *very* familiar with us. Dare I say friendly? Now after months, lo and behold, on our garden-side porch (i.e., *very” close to us), suddenly I see *four* of them. I can’t imagine how it could be a sibling juvenile that we’ve never seen before. Could it be a visitor from a previous generation? Has the juvenile brought a prospective mate for approval? What the flock?
Hello Joel, Good questions. It could be that the answer is all of the above. I believe, at least one or two of the four that showed up recently, is either one of the parents that nested there year(s) before. It could also be that the initial pair split at some point and both adults found a new mate and now they are four. Black vultures tend to stay together after breeding and pairings are long lasting. A case of a modern family? Each adult got a new mate and they all remain friends, maybe?
Al.