The turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) is one of the most common vultures found across much of North America. With its distinctive red, featherless head and dark brown body, the turkey vulture is easy to identify once you know what to look for. In this article, we will cover the key identification features, behavior, habitat, range, and vocalizations of the turkey vulture to help you confidently distinguish it from other bird species. Quickly recognizing a turkey vulture is important, as these scavenging birds play an essential role in the ecosystem by helping to dispose of carrion.
Distinctive Physical Features
Turkey vultures have several distinctive physical features that make them easy to identify:
Red, Featherless Head
The most striking feature of the turkey vulture is its small, featherless red head. The head of an adult turkey vulture appears bright red in color, while the head of juveniles appears a grayish pink until they fully mature. This bare head is an adaptation to help keep the head clean when feeding inside carcasses.
Dark Brown Plumage
The body plumage of a turkey vulture is overall dark brown to black. The wings appear darkest brown to black, while the flight feathers on the underside of the wings appear paler, silvery brown in flight. The tail is short and rounded.
White Tips on Underside of Wings
When seen in flight from below, turkey vultures display silvery-white linings on the underside of their wings. The lighter wing linings contrast noticeably against the otherwise dark wings.
Large, Diagonal Nostrils
Turkey vultures have large nostrils that are set diagonally on the base of the bright red bill. The large nostrils help enhance their ability to locate dead animals by smell.
Distinctive Flight Profile
In addition to physical features, the turkey vulture has a very distinctive flight profile that aids identification:
Soaring on Flat, Diagonal Wings
Turkey vultures are often seen effortlessly soaring high in the sky on flat, diagonal wings. The wings are held in a slight upward āVā when soaring.
Wobbly Flight Pattern
The flight of turkey vultures appears wobbly and teetering, with the wings held at different angles. This flight pattern distinguishes them from eagles and hawks, which soar with level wings.
Rocking from Side to Side
A turkey vulture may also rock side to side in the wind as it soars high above. This is another distinguishing flight behavior.
Distinctive Behaviors
In addition to physical characteristics and flight patterns, turkey vultures exhibit some behaviors that aid in identification:
Circling Overhead
Turkey vultures will circle in the air over areas where they have detected a food source, such as a carcass or injured animal. Several vultures may circle together before descending.
Hunch-Shouldered Stance
When standing on the ground or perched, the turkey vulture holds its wings in a slightly drooped, hunch-shouldered position. The neck may appear somewhat retracted. This is distinctive from eagles and hawks, which perch more upright.
Communal Roosting
Turkey vultures commonly roost together in large numbers, either on dead trees, ledges, or directly on the ground. Dozens or even hundreds may gather at nightly communal roost sites.
Habitat
Turkey vultures occupy a wide range of habitats across their broad geographic range:
Open Areas
Turkey vultures frequent open rural areas, including pastures, agricultural fields, grasslands, deserts, and savannas. The open terrain provides adequate visibility for finding carcasses.
Coastal Regions
Coastlines are a common turkey vulture habitat, where they scan the shorelines for washed-up dead animals.
Forest Edges
Turkey vultures often follow forest edges adjacent to more open areas, allowing them to scan open terrain while having trees available for perching and roosting.
Suburban/Urban Areas
As human development expands, turkey vultures have adapted to take advantage of roadkill and other urban carrion sources. Turkey vultures can increasingly be seen soaring over suburban or urban areas.
Range
The turkey vulture has an extensive range across the Americas:
Continental United States
The turkey vulture occurs year-round across almost the entire lower 48 United States, except for the extreme northern US and Alaska.
Southern Canada
The summer breeding range extends into southern Canada, including southern British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.
Mexico/Central America
Turkey vultures are year-round residents from northern Mexico south through Central America to Panama.
South America
The turkey vulture range extends south in South America through Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, and northern Argentina.
Vocalizations
Turkey vultures are generally silent, but they do make some characteristic vocalizations:
Low Hissing
At the nest or when threatened, turkey vultures may make a low hissing sound. The hiss can help identify the species.
Grunts
Turkey vultures may make low grunting sounds around carcasses as they jostle for feeding position.
High-Pitched Chicks
Turkey vulture chicks at the nest make persistent, high-pitched cheeping vocalizations to beg for food from the parents. These help locate an active nest.
Differences From Black Vulture
The black vulture is the other common vulture species that overlaps in range with the turkey vulture. Distinguishing between turkey vultures and black vultures relies on several key differences:
Turkey Vulture | Black Vulture |
---|---|
Red head | Black head |
Paler underside of wings | Uniformly black wings |
Shorter, square tail | Longer, wedge-shaped tail |
Rock more steadily in flight | Soar flat, do not rock |
Conclusion
In summary, turkey vultures can be confidently identified by their bright red, featherless head, dark brown plumage, pale flight feathers, large nostrils, distinctive flight profile, circling and soaring behavior, and usual habitat in open areas near forests. Their range extends over much of the Americas. Watching for key field marks like the bare red head, pale wing linings, and teetering flight will help distinguish turkey vultures from other bird species, even at a distance. Properly identifying turkey vultures is rewarding, as they provide vital ecosystem services by disposing of carrion yet pose no threat to living animals or people.
Turkey vultures are key components of healthy ecosystems. You can support vulture conservation by respecting and protecting roosting and nesting sites when encountered and helping maintain the open foraging habitats they rely on by keeping some areas wild and vegetatively cleared under powerlines or in grassland ecosystems. Limiting use of lead ammunition, poisons, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs livestock where vultures range will also benefit vulture populations by reducing accidental poisoning. Whenever you encounter these unique soaring birds, take a moment to appreciate the valuable ecological role that turkey vultures play.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size is a turkey vulture?
Turkey vultures are large birds, though smaller than eagles and some other vulture species. They measure 24-32 inches in length, have a wingspan around 6 feet, and weigh 4-5 pounds.
What do turkey vultures eat?
Turkey vultures are scavengers, feeding exclusively on carrion. This includes carcasses of any small or large animals that they find dead, including roadkill. They do not kill live prey.
Why do turkey vultures have red heads?
The red head is an adaptation to feeding, as the bare head helps prevent the spread of bacteria from rotting carcasses. The bright red color may also serve social signaling functions.
How long do turkey vultures live?
In the wild, turkey vultures can live 10-20 years. The oldest known turkey vulture in the wild was over 16 years old. Their lifespan in captivity can reach up to 25-30 years.
Do turkey vultures carry disease?
Turkey vultures have strong immune systems and stomach acids that kill most pathogens in rotting carcasses. There is very little risk of contracting disease from turkey vultures when seeing them in the wild.
Why do turkey vultures roost communally?
Communal roosting may help turkey vultures find carcasses more efficiently by following the lead of others heading toward food. Roosting together may also provide some safety benefits.
Do turkey vultures mate for life?
No, turkey vultures do not form long-term pair bonds. Males provide no paternal care. Females may mate with multiple males in a single breeding season.
How can you tell turkey vulture age?
Younger turkey vultures have darker heads that appear grayish until they mature and turn fully red at around 2 years old. Immature vultures also have darker brown irises that lighten to pale yellow over time.
Do turkey vultures migrate?
Turkey vultures in the northern parts of their range migrate south for the winter. More southern populations can be year-round residents. Migrating flocks soar together on thermal updrafts.