The Turkey Vulture is the most common vulture in the Americas. Despite the similarity in name and appearance, this species is unrelated to the Old World vultures of the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, hawks, kites and harriers.
This bird got its common name by the resemblance of the adult's bald red head (and possibly its dark plumage) to that of the male Wild Turkey.
While soaring, they hold their wings in a V-shape and often tip 'drunkenly' from side to side, frequently causing the gray flight feathers to appear silvery as they catch the light.
The Turkey Vulture is found in open and semi-open areas throughout the Americas from southern Canada to Cape Horn. It is a permanent resident in the southern United States but northern birds may migrate as far south as South America.
Allopreening refers to one animal preening another. While preening and grooming are usually individual actions, in some species, birds or animals will preen one another. This occurs in birds as well as other classes of animal. We previously mentioned allopreening when discussing Read more »
We're celebrating Vulture Week because today marks International Vulture Awareness Day! This commemorative day has been celebrated since at least 2009 and aims to highlight the importance of vultures and vulture conservation through education. Why are vultures bald? Read more »
Today's featured Birdorable cute bird t-shirt is this Turkey Vulture organic women's top. We recently added several new organic apparel styles like this one; you can see all of our organic apparel here. Speaking of vultures, International Vulture Awareness Day 2009 is coming up on September... Read more »
Turkey vultures, often misunderstood and overlooked, are truly fascinating creatures of the avian world. With their impressive wingspan and unique flying patterns, they glide effortlessly across the sky, serving as nature's clean-up crew. These birds are essential to the ecosystem, playing a crucial role in keeping our... Read more »
