Turkey Vulture

Nature's cleaner uppers.

We had an old horse that died in the middle of the woods and they found her before we could. No way she had time to start stinking. I've heard they pick up scents from updrafts but she couldn't have been dead for more that a few hours before we saw them circling and found her.

Maybe you have them conditioned to making low passes over your place looking for handouts?

Birds can be pretty smart.
I had a blue heron trained years ago. It knew I would be cleaning grouse and waited for me.

EdinGa said:

Maybe you have them conditioned to making low passes over your place looking for handouts?

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There's truth to this. I had a vulture in my yard every day for awhile because I was taking squirrels out left and right. Even on days when I wouldn't bag one, he'd still check in. Named him Henry and he did a great job cleaning up for me.

EdinGa said:

I've heard they pick up scents from updrafts but she couldn't have been dead for more that a few hours before we saw them circling and found her.

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They are one of very few birds with a keen sense of smell.
They occasionally help hunters find lost game.
Despite their eating habits and cuisine choices they are clean birds. They spend a majority of their time preening. The bald head even stays cleaner than a feathered one would.
I love watching em soar effortlessly on the thermals. I've seen em high in a tree with wings outstretched catching the morning sun rays trying to warm up.
Amazing birds.

They tend to be creatures of habit, I think. We had a big pine in the back of a hay field that they roosted in every summer. It took a lot of effort to keep them from coming back. They would eventually give up for the remainder of the year but would be back again the next summer.

In law enforcement, we called them the “Coroner’s Air Force”.

It’s amazing how fast they can field strip a ground squirrel.

Justin

I read that a turkey buzzard can smell a dead animal from over a mile away, within an hour of death. And, they can smell a mouse size animal, under leaf litter in a forest, pretty amazing animals. I also read that they prefer fresh meat, and will not eat extremely rotten carcasses. But, I've seen them test that last one!

They might prefer freshly demised meat but I've seen them inside a dead cow carcass too.

For one thing, they have many times more receptors in the retina than any bird other than some raptors. It's like 12k resolution compared to humans' 2.5k Some hawks can see a squirrel or vole from over a mile high.

Turkey V's nest / hatch the young , in a small cave half way down the cliff in back of my house so we have maybe up to 50 or so of them in the trees , Squirrels last an hour or so .

Struckat said:

Birds can be pretty smart.
I had a blue heron trained years ago. It knew I would be cleaning grouse and waited for me.

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Ever been fishing on a pier? The starlings will fight you tooth and nail while baiting hooks or cleaning fish!

Boostcreep said:

Ever been fishing on a pier? The starlings will fight you tooth and nail while baiting hooks or cleaning fish!

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Tennis racket. Works for carpenter bees too.

I've noticed Turkey Buzzards have learned that a free meal awaits when a farmer cuts a hay field. They will walk the rows of a freshly cut field looking for critters the farmer has dispatched for them.

Also, I think Black Vultures have a poor sense of smell, so they follow Turkey Vultures around to locate carrion.

I went to the local Raptor Center, and of all the birds of prey, the Turkey Vultures were the most "interactive". Some would hop to the front of their enclosure when approached by humans, and spread their wings, and make eye contact. They seemed interested in the interaction. Amazing animals, especially considering their "job".

They form a circle around road kill and take turns eating , interesting to watch the pecking order .

Thomas, you have a popular squirrel buffet for your local turkey vulture residents! Nice pic and shooting!