Turkey Vultures in my back yard

[dave1918a2]

Just wondering,,,, How old are You??

 

[SMSgt]

During a trip to Cody, Wyoming, we watched a presentation on the Turkey Vulture - with a live bird. They are nature's garbage disposal, with gastric juices so strong that they can eat diseased, rancid or even rabid meat with no ill effects.

We see them soaring overhead here daily, and for some reason, I prefer them to the smaller black buzzards.

The one thing a vulture will not eat is another vulture. They know what it's been eating.

 

[glenwolde]

Air cannons are popular, but they get used to them and don't work after a while. The only way to get rid of them is to remove the food source. You can't shoot them. They are protected by the migratory bird act.

I'd start looking for a food source nearby somewhere. I worked in a park where they were everywhere. Mostly because fishermen left their debris from cleaning fish laying out. Then the same fisherman would complain the buzzards were eating their wipers and rubber trim.

The most effective repellent is a dead buzzard hanging in a prominent place. Hard to do since you can't kill them. But they do make fake dead buzzards you can hang. You might be able to legally use a road kill. I don't know.

 

[DWalt]

Maybe they know something you don't. Is your will up to date?

That is what I meant about their being a bad omen.

Here in town there is a six lane highway that runs through a large and wooded city park. Lots of wildlife live there including deer. The elevated street lights running along it usually have one or two vultures perched on each, waiting for dinner.

When I was a turkey hunter, I marveled at how quickly vultures showed up after I shot one. Usually within a minute. I remember once seeing a road kill adult doe being picked down to a skeleton by a large flock of vultures within two hours. They are very efficient and effective in performing their duties.

I have read that vultures wil not eat a dead cat. Does anyone know if that is true?

No vultures seen in my back yard today.

 

[grover99]

When I was young I drove a tractor plowing fields for planting winter wheat. I often would have a buzzard or two flying overhead waiting to see if I would plow up a rabbit. I also would have a coyote following behind sometimes for the same reason.

 

[The Last Standing Knight]

In Texas, they are a protected species. If you tik them off, they will bomb you...both with fecal and vomit.

I found out they are actually a species of hawk and not a vulture although I've called our common buzzards vultures since childhood.

Seeing them around roadkill, fishkill, or landfiulls is a common thing. But the creepy part is they hang around cemetaries. I have one behind where I work and they are everywhere.

There are a pair that hang around the big pond at my workplace everyday. You can set your watch by them. The employees look at them and they just look back. I sometimes go out and babytalk them...again, they just look at me and take no action...quite used to people. But that doesn't mean I'm going to go up and pet them, either.

 

[yaktamer]

They are nature's garbage disposal, with gastric juices so strong that they can eat diseased, rancid or even rabid meat with no ill effects.

And their poop is highly acidic. They defecate on their legs to kill bacteria to prevent infection from the carrion.

 

[bdGreen]

That is what I meant about their being a bad omen.

Here in town there is a six lane highway that runs through a large and wooded city park. Lots of wildlife live there including deer. The elevated street lights running along it usually have one or two vultures perched on each, waiting for dinner.

When I was a turkey hunter, I marveled at how quickly vultures showed up after I shot one. Usually within a minute. I remember once seeing a road kill adult doe being picked down to a skeleton by a large flock of vultures within two hours. They are very efficient and effective in performing their duties.

I have read that vultures wil not eat a dead cat. Does anyone know if that is true?

No vultures seen in my back yard today.

Hell yes, they will eat a dead cat!
I have pictures! Standing right in the middle of the chest cavity.
Vultures, amazing technology.

bdGreen

 

[oink]

I had a convention in my driveway once. They dispersed when I drove through them and haven't reconvened. There are plenty in my area at certain times. I had a convention of wood storks and herons in the same spot once. There is a drainage canal next to the driveway so my little driveway intersection may just ve a convenient open spot to hang out.

I was commutng between Cocoa and Orlando (UCF but FTU at the time) back in the 70s on my Suzuki T-500 (No fancy Ducati Streetfighter) when a Turkey Vulture lifted off from his dinner right in front of me hitting my left hand and nearly crashing me. That would have been bad on that then 2 lane road heavy with big rigs including the one I had just passed at warp speed (For a T-500). I don't think the bird recovered in time and was taken out but that rig I'd just passed. Got the ole heart beating.

 

[Golddollar]

Whatever you do, DO NOT APPROACH the turkey vultures! Theie only weapon is to VOMIT on things that pester them! (think of what they eat) When young my uncles tried to collect eggs down the road from the farmhouse. Grandma brunt their cloths!

Ivan

Now that's funny!

 

[Golddollar]

Around Gettysburg I've seen a lot of black buzzards. My late uncle and I used to call them the Gettysburg Air Force. Buzzards must be the most laid back birds I've ever seen. I was driving around one day and I came across a buzzard having lunch on some roadkill by the side of the road. Usually birds take off when any vehicle comes anywhere near them. All this buzzard did was hop up on a piece of Jersey wall and let me pass.

 

[ridewv]

Black vultures are quite different than turkey vultures in that even though smaller, work in groups and will run off a larger turkey vulture from a carcass. Also turkey vultures don't prey on living animals but black vultures have been found to sometimes eat living animals such as new born calves, fawns, etc.

For 5 years a pair of turkey vultures returned to an old tree stand on the property as their "nest" and laid two eggs. I enjoyed watching them hatch and mature. They've been absent the last two years.

 

[boykinlp]

Whatever you do, DO NOT APPROACH the turkey vultures! Theie only weapon is to VOMIT on things that pester them! (think of what they eat) When young my uncles tried to collect eggs down the road from the farmhouse. Grandma brunt their cloths!

Ivan

Ummmm, nothing better than turkey vulture eggs sunny side up!
Larry

 

[charlie sherrill]

Dwalt, when was the last time you had a shower?

 

[Greyman50]

Few years ago Turkey Buzzards decided to roost on a neighbors house. The buzzard “ doo” was ruining their roof and yelling and waving arms did nothing. IIRC they used some hi frequency device to run them off?
OTOH Turkey Buzzards are very smart and make good pets. There is a story about a girl finding a fledgling that fell out of a nest that she rescued and raised to an adult.

 

[DWalt]

I believe my buzzards have moved on. No backyard visitors since Monday that I have seen.

 

[sourdough44]

I don’t care for them up close, I’d of encouraged them to move on.

Yes, I see they went looking elsewhere.

 

[DWalt]

They're Baaaack! The dog won't go outside. After looking at the pictures, I think they may be Black Vultures instead of Turkey Vultures, but I am not sure. Also not sure that they are the same pair. I took the two pictures several hours apart.

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[Greyman50]

Black buzzards, they are forcing our native turkey buzzards out of many areas.

 

[DWalt]

I did a little research. They mate for life. And they take turns hatching their eggs. Maybe that is why these are pairs.