Turkey and Black Vultures

The vultures have been back in the area for about three weeks. While most of our vultures are turkey vultures, a number of black vultures have shown up this spring. I watched a mixed group of black and turkey vultures fill up on a deer carcass for several days in early March. They would be there through mid-morning then disappear by 11am. Recently Charly and I have watched the turkey vultures and a few black vultures roost behind the house in a large pine tree. I've seen up to forty birds, but tonight I could only pick out twenty or so.

Black vultures have a shorter wingspan than turkey vultures. They tend to be found further south of here, but they do make an appearance now and then. The two pictures show the difference in wing patterns between the two species. The turkey vultures trailing wing edge is gray to white while the black vulture has shorter wings and has gray-white wing tips with a black trailing edge.