A great post! And serendipitous for me. As I am exploring the culture of the places I have lived in around the world and memories flood in, I now realise that the turkey vultures I used to see in Ecuador were these. I had no idea they migrated. It's safe to say these "gallinazos" as they are known, were not popular there either. Thank you for making me see these birds in a different light!
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.
What good is it to experience stuff if you keep it all inside? And everything I write here is evoked by your pictures and words. If it wasn’t for the work you put into this, I wouldn’t have anything to say that was evoked by you! See how it works?
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 such interesting creatures! We've had a variety of black and turkey vultures on our pond in the last week or two because we had a fish kill due to an algal hypoxic event. So they have been feasting and then leaving all of their droppings all over our dock! Thankful they are so quick in cleaning up!
I learned how to tell the youngsters from adults. It's time for them to come roost for the winter. These photos and captions are priceless! I love how the vultures keep the dead carcasses out of the street.
Karen, I live in Athens, Georgia, in the East Piedmont region of the state. We see buzzards year-round, but in the winter they roost in the woods behind our home and hop along the ground. They poop by the gallon, which must help the fertility of the ground greatly. The hopping behavior we saw last spring was short-lived, and then they disbanded. What is a large group of buzzards called? Do you understand the hopping behavior? I may have a video of it.
Thank you for giving me a new look at vultures. We have many of these birds in our area as well, and you are so correct, they sure keep things in order. When they fly close to our house, it seems like a plane coming in for landing!
I love the vultures! If you ever visit Niagara Falls, NY, there is a colony of Black Vultures in the village of Lewiston just downstream from the Niagara Falls.
I love our vultures. Have you ever heard the sort of grunting noise they make, a little like pigs, I guess. Definitely doesn't sound like a bird noise.
Awesome photo study! Thank you! I read this article recently about the difference between vultures and buzzards. Kind of interesting where the buzzard term came from.
I’m in Athens, Georgia. A f
A great post! And serendipitous for me. As I am exploring the culture of the places I have lived in around the world and memories flood in, I now realise that the turkey vultures I used to see in Ecuador were these. I had no idea they migrated. It's safe to say these "gallinazos" as they are known, were not popular there either. Thank you for making me see these birds in a different light!
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.
You have SUCH interesting stories! Thank you for sharing them with me.
What good is it to experience stuff if you keep it all inside? And everything I write here is evoked by your pictures and words. If it wasn’t for the work you put into this, I wouldn’t have anything to say that was evoked by you! See how it works?
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!
:) You're welcome!
They are such interesting creatures! We've had a variety of black and turkey vultures on our pond in the last week or two because we had a fish kill due to an algal hypoxic event. So they have been feasting and then leaving all of their droppings all over our dock! Thankful they are so quick in cleaning up!
Oh that's unfortunate. I am glad they do the cleanup - and I do get they can leave their own mess for sure.
I learned how to tell the youngsters from adults. It's time for them to come roost for the winter. These photos and captions are priceless! I love how the vultures keep the dead carcasses out of the street.
Cathy where do you live that they come for the winter?
Karen, I live in Athens, Georgia, in the East Piedmont region of the state. We see buzzards year-round, but in the winter they roost in the woods behind our home and hop along the ground. They poop by the gallon, which must help the fertility of the ground greatly. The hopping behavior we saw last spring was short-lived, and then they disbanded. What is a large group of buzzards called? Do you understand the hopping behavior? I may have a video of it.
Thank you for giving me a new look at vultures. We have many of these birds in our area as well, and you are so correct, they sure keep things in order. When they fly close to our house, it seems like a plane coming in for landing!
it can be a little unnerving if they are kettling over your head! :)
I love the vultures! If you ever visit Niagara Falls, NY, there is a colony of Black Vultures in the village of Lewiston just downstream from the Niagara Falls.
Oh that's cool to know! I haven't actually ever seen a black vulture.
Love the captions! Perfect!
Thanks Lauren!
👍❤️
Thanks Sharon!
I love our vultures. Have you ever heard the sort of grunting noise they make, a little like pigs, I guess. Definitely doesn't sound like a bird noise.
I really haven't heard them make a sound, which may say more about my hearing than them.
You have to be pretty close, but when they’re all hanging out down by the river I hear it sometimes.
They’re such beautiful flyers! Thanks for these.
They are, with their wobble wobble wobble.
Awesome photo study! Thank you! I read this article recently about the difference between vultures and buzzards. Kind of interesting where the buzzard term came from.
https://www.thespruce.com/buzzards-vs-vultures-4171318
I think I would be very confused in Europe!
I know! They are such Buzz-kills over there!