Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

The Turkey Vulture is a bird of the air. It spends most of the day gliding and circling using the thermals and its keen sense of smell to detect even mouse-sized carcasses hidden in the leaf litter. It is the most widespread among the New World vultures. Some populations migrate to North America and winter in South America. Turkey Vultures are solitary foragers. They gather in numbers only at roosting sites and around carcasses. Their highly developed sense of smell allows them to find rodents that have been poisoned or birds that died after being shot with led pellets. Eating poisoned and contaminated carrion often result in the dead of Turkey Vultures. They are shy and skittish when it comes to their nesting sites. They nest in large cavities or spots that offer protection from the elements and detection by predators. Despite being a common bird, relatively little is known about their breeding habits.

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Appearance & Habitat