Meet the Turkey Vulture

The Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) is a large scavenging bird that has a great sense of smell. Most birds do not have a good sense of smell, but it is necessary for turkey vultures because they need to be able to smell dead and decomposing animals from a great distance away. These dead animals are called carrion, and it is the only thing the vultures consume. (They do not hunt live prey.) Turkey vultures are large birds that can live between 10-15 years and have a wingspan of almost 6 feet! Turkey vultures have stomachs capable of killing diseases and bacterias so that the animals they eat don’t pose a real threat to their health. This was an important evolution in the turkey vulture’s past. While rats can spread disease that they picked up through prey and habitats, turkey vultures cannot. Turkey vultures are currently a stable conservation status in our Maryland area which is good news as they do important environmental work. Another cool fact about this species is that they use thermal energy to soar high in the air, up to 20,000 feet into the atmosphere! Oftentimes when you see roadkill and look up into the sky, you will spot these turkey vultures flying above waiting to feed. For more information about Turkey vultures, visit: https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/turkey-vulture

This Wildlife Wednesday was created by Zander Hine, Student Board Member