By “best” field mark, I mean the field mark that is most easily seen while they’re in flight and most reliable in confirming their ID from a distance.
Lately I’ve been concerned about our Turkey Vultures. The remote area in northern Utah where I’ve seen them most reliably and most often in past years has been mostly devoid of them this year. In most of my recent trips to the area I haven’t seen any and when I have it’s only been one or two.
1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
So on a trip to that same area yesterday morning I was somewhat relieved to see about a dozen of them. There was a total of seven vultures in the group this bird was in and I saw at least five others earlier in the morning.
I caught this one just as ‘he’ raised his wings to take off, which put good light on his underwing and revealed the distinctive and much paler color of the trailing edge of their wings. When people see Turkey Vultures they’re most often soaring overhead and I think their “pale trailing edge” is usually the easiest way to confirm their ID. There are other field marks too but I think this one is most easily seen from a distance while they’re in flight.
When they’re soaring the undersides of their wings are usually in shade but even so, the pale trailing edge can typically be seen.
Lots of folks perceive Turkey Vultures as being ugly but in a pose like this one I’d argue that they’re at least impressive. And maybe even bordering on handsome in a way.
Yeah, I’m a fan of Turkey Vultures.
Ron
I hope the avian flu doesn’t completely wipe out your TV populations. I love the “wing-fling” pose of this beauty. Big fan of TVs and find them to be attractive birds — bald, red heads and all!
Like Michael, my interactions with them and with the even more majestic California Condors have been in the Big Sur area. The field marks have proven invaluable more than once!
Thanks, Marty. I’ve grown to like “bald” myself, especially as I’ve aged.
Picard is my favorite Star Trek captain. 😉
I do hope that their numbers are not in serious decline. I am also glad to see so many people appreciate them. We could really do with them here.
Add me to the impressive pile of commentators.
I hope so too EC, but I’m concerned. Consider yourself added.
I thought it would be a bumper year for the vultures in the area with all the dead cattle and deer from winter kill this past winter. The vultures are very affected by avian influenza. I hope it is not killing the Utah population.
April, thanks for answering Carolyn’s question below.
That is a nice picture of the Turkey Vulture. It gives us a nice close up look at their wings and body. There was a huge flock of them that roosted in the cotton wood trees across my parents home. It was fun to watch them fly around and move from limb to limb.
Thanks, Trudy.
A great shot of those under wings! I picked up a dropped primary feather one time and it actually looked metallic, which would account for the almost “reflective” appearance.
Marian, a couple of days ago I heard a crow in a tree right next to my yard.. I couldn’t see it through all the leaves but it sounded upset. Then, while I was looking up, one of its black primary feathers came spiraling down to the ground. I wonder if that feather had been giving it grief.
Here in Central Washington we see them only in the summer, and I think there have been fewer of them this summer. Haven’t they been victims of avian flu to some extent? Neat to see all the layers in these massive wings. His plumage isn’t as tidy as the hummers you’ve posted recently – someone needs to offer him a hairbrush!
“Haven’t they been victims of avian flu to some extent?
Apparently they have, Carolyn – see April’s comment above. April would know.
“So ugly they’re cute” comes to mind………. 😉 Saw one in the area earlier this summer – haven’t seen any in this area before…… Good to have an identifier……. 🙂
On another funny note…..amaranth is spindly, one to 2 feet high with some sun scorched leaves and blooming! 🙂 Obviously I didn’t pick a good spot or they just don’t like it here – will see what next year brings!
Judy, I don’t remember ever seeing one in the Cut Bank area, including on the farm. Lots of raptors but no vultures.
Great view of that pale underwing. The first field mark I look for in a distant Turkey Vulture is the shallow V configuration that the wings are held in while in flight. That, along with the light trailing wing edge leaves no doubt about ID. People too often focus on the bald head and say they are ugly. But take the feathers off of a robin’s head and it wouldn’t be so handsome either. When people ask “What’s your favorite bird?” I usually answer with “Whatever bird I am looking at at the time”. But if I had to pick one bird it would very likely be Turkey Vulture. Being up close while at Cascades Raptor Center helps to further reinforce that view. They are intelligent, have great personalities and fun to be around.
Dan, I don’t hear much about Cascade Raptor Center since Louise retired. I hope they’re still doing the fine job they always have.
They are still doing well and have a great staff to keep things going with strong public support. They just recently lost a couple of their educational birds from old age but have some new arrivals as well. It’s definitely worth a visit for anyone coming this way.
Thanks for the update. Good to know they’re still making a difference.
Great shot, Ron. I can’t be alone in this: using “T“ for trailing, and “B“ for… well… black, I was finally able to always identify vultures in flight.
Thanks, Ellen. We use what works, don’t we.
Big fan here! Beautiful birds, really they are! Here in Northern California, at this time of year they own the sky. Kettles of them forming, with this year’s fledglings.
I sometimes see kettles of them in the area this photo was taken, Sallie. Not this year though.
Nice shot Ron and yes, that is a good way to ID them in flight. I have quite a few photos of Turkey Vultures posed on tree branches with their wings spread wide and they truly are beautiful birds except for the head nature gave them for the nasty job they have been given.
Thanks, Everett.
Great close-up of this important field mark.
I second all that Laurie, Kris and Jimmy said about these birds.
It is common to spot groups of these in areas of the California coast that are minimally inhabited by humans. I think it is because they have the benefit of having both the land and the sea providing food.
When on the Big Sur coast, knowing the difference in the underwing pattern is key to distinguishing the Turkey Vulture from the few California Condors that can be occasionally seen.
Jealous of your “occasional’ opportunities with California Condors, Michael. I need to make another trip to southern Utah to look for them.
They are part of nature’s “clean-up” crew. I am a fan also. When I lived in the Napa Valley, they used to sit on the stakes in the vineyard next to us (not ours) drying their wings. I could always know something was dead if they were overhead — or see them feeding on something on the ground of course. Once I saw a group of them in my front yard trying to intimidate a raptor to leave his kill. It was too big to carry off.
“They are part of nature’s “clean-up” crew”
Laurie, if they’re given credit for nothing else, that role they play is at least highly functional and fortunate for us and other species.
I’ll definitely go along with “impressive”.in appearance……..and I’m
very appreciative of the work they do, keeping the natural world clean of carrion–I’ve been a beneficiary of their mission in life–watched 2 turkey vultures “clean up” a huge dead skunk near my house in a matter of hours- “appreciative” was absolutely my feeling about them !
Kris, in my experience, nothing smells worse than a dead skunk in hot weather and I’m not talking about the smell of their spray.
I love this picture. And I love the sight of turkey vultures majestically gliding. They are incredible birds.
Thanks, Jimmy.