Turkey Vulture

A large soaring bird with a wingspan of up to 72 inches. They are almost entirely blackish-brown with a featherless red head. In flight, they are easily identified by their 'dihedral' (V-shaped) wing profile and unstable, rocking flight style.

Uniform dark chocolate brown to blackish-brown on the dorsal surface, with a silver-gray or pale sheen on the ventral (underside) surface; the rachis is light-colored/creamy at the base

Pennaceous and tightly interlocked throughout most of the vane; the base (superior umbilicus) shows soft, plumulaceous (downy) barbs for insulation

Relatively stiff and matte; the surface is designed for durability during long-duration soaring and lacks the oily sheen or silent-flight adaptations of other large birds

The distinctive silver-gray sheen on the underside of the dark brown vanes and the pale, stout rachis are diagnostic for Turkey Vulture flight feathers

Open and semi-open areas, including subtropical forests, shrublands, pastures, and deserts; often nests in rock crevices, caves, or hollow logs

Common throughout the Americas, ranging from southern Canada to the southernmost tip of South America; northern populations are migratory

Scavenger; they provide a critical ecosystem service by consuming carrion, which helps prevent the spread of diseases like anthrax and rabies

Black Vulture (feathers are shorter and lack the strong silver-gray ventral contrast) and Juvenile Bald Eagle (feathers usually show white mottling or a different texture/sheen)

Unlike most birds, Turkey Vultures have an incredibly keen sense of smell, allowing them to locate carrion hidden under forest canopies from high in the air

Good condition; shows some minor feather wear and 'nicking' at the tips consistent with a naturally molted feather from an adult bird