Drops of Beauty #133
September 15, 2023
I was trying to think of the right quote to introduce my turkey vulture friends. “Don’t judge a book by its cover?” “Beauty is more than skin deep?” Turkey vultures may not conjure up the term “beautiful” but they are quite marvelous creatures. We have a large colony now - I’ve counted as many as 70 at a time! They will probably hang around a few more weeks before they head south.
Turkey vultures are fascinating creatures. They are in the raptor family but they seem like very docile creatures. They are capable of tearing a carcass apart and yet they seem shy and gentle. Unlike the geese, they don’t appear to shed many feathers or at least I don’t find many around even after these large groups have been hanging out a while. They are definitely nature’s cleanup crew, taking care of stuff we humans would rather not. They are also playful, especially the youngsters!
So today I thought I’d share some photos of my turkey vulture friends with you all. They may not be yellow flowers and dragonflies, but they are a very lovely part of my world.
Hope you’ve enjoyed this little look into an often forgotten - but vital - member of our bird community. Take good care friends, wishing you a safe and peaceful weekend.
Beautiful! 70 turkey vultures must be quite a sight.
This description stopped me in my tracks: "They are capable of tearing a carcass apart and yet they seem shy and gentle." Mmm, I love those kinds of contradictions.
Thanks for teaching me a bit about turkey vultures today!
They are an important part of the cycle of life. I saw a flock of blackbirds attacking one near a field yesterday without seeming to care that the vultures always get the last laugh.
During my time in Africa, I often saw Cape vultures cleaning up kills. I once watched several going in and out a zebra carcass as each took its turn.
But the most unsettling experience I had with Cape vultures was when I spent a week in Hargeysa, Somalia, in a $3 a night hotel, one of the few mostly intact buildings in a ruined town. One wall in my room was cardboard and the room was only wide enough for a small cot, a small desk and a chair. One afternoon, the woman on the other side of the cardboard wall went into labor that lasted for hours. When the baby finally arrived, it became very quiet except for scratching noises on the roof above me. When I leaned out the glassless window to find the source of the sound, I saw a row of vultures roosting on the edge of the roof, patiently waiting for what they knew would eventually become their dinner.