All of the pictures for this post were taken near Skull Valley, Arizona. Appropriate, no?
The red-headed fellow spreading his wings above is the more common Turkey Vulture.
The gentle-birds below, taking a bow and gazing out over the chaparral, are rarer Black Vultures. Actually, I think it's the same bird. Note the same fall Juniper Berries in the lower right of both photos.
The red-headed fellow spreading his wings above is the more common Turkey Vulture.
The gentle-birds below, taking a bow and gazing out over the chaparral, are rarer Black Vultures. Actually, I think it's the same bird. Note the same fall Juniper Berries in the lower right of both photos.
The Arizona Sonora Desert Museum website has a nice comparison of the two, noting, among other things, that while Black Vultures have no sense of smell, Turkey Vultures can detect a carcass up to a mile away! I can detect one a quarter of a mile away, but that's a different story.
The bright spot on the beak of the Turkey Vulture above might be mistaken for his eye. It's actually a hole that goes clear through the beak and helps to keep his nostrils clear when his head is plunged deep into a carcass. A bird's gotta eat and breathe!
Vultures get a bad rap for their table manners, but think what a mess the world would be if we didn't have cleanup crews. A calf died on the property about a year ago. (I'll spare you the photo.) I located it by smell, and so did the Turkey Vultures above. A flock of dozens took care of it in about a week, much to our relief.
Here are some soarers and perchers, just for fun. Actually, I wanted to show off Turtle Head rock there in the middle. It reminds me of Dr. Seuss's Yertle the Turtle, but I digress.
And for the grand finale, here is my sister at the Vulture Culture exhibit at the Desert Museum. Usually she's just a turkey, but here she's transformed herself into a great and wonderful Turkey Vulture! I didn't get a picture of her soaring.
