Vultures

Vultures are our most common large bird. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors) in the world. Extant is your word of the month. Try using it in a sentence. There are two species of vulture in Florida. The Turkey Vulture and the Black Vulture. A group in flight we call a 'kettle'. While resting, a 'committee'. But while feeding, a 'wake'. Their Latin name means “cleanser.” Don’t confuse them with Buzzards which are hawks.

A characteristic of vultures is the bald head. This bare skin helps keep the head clean when feeding and plays a role in thermoregulation which keeps its body temperature within certain boundaries. I don’t expect you to use that word in conversation. They also use other means to regulate body temperature. Vultures hunch their bodies and tuck in their heads when cold and open their wings and stretch their necks when hot. They also urinate on themselves to help them cool off.

While soaring, black vultures hold their wings flat showing whitish patches near the tips. Their heads are black. Turkey vultures have reddish heads, hold their wings in a slight "V" while soaring and lack the white wing tips.

Vultures are a bird of prey scavenging on carrion like road-kills or dead animals wherever they find them. Black vultures are more aggressive and may occasionally kill or injure lambs, cows giving birth, or other incapacitated animals.

Vultures are state and federally protected as a migratory bird, therefore it is unlawful to harm or kill them without a permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. If a vulture is tearing up a screen porch, or chewing at your house, you may want to consider scaring them with Pyrotechnics (fireworks). The Wildlife Services group of the United States Department of Agriculture at 352-377-5556 can provide more information.

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