Vultures Move To Town

[mso489]

I'm used to seeing vultures circling overhead off the side of highways usually out of town out in the country. Over the last few years, I have encountered them more often than before inside the city, usually one coming in for a landing near a dead squirrel in the street, or even three to five of them clustered around some dead animal. Bird habitats change all the time, memorably the big move South by the Canada geese which became a pest until people learned stop feeding them, so now they keep their distance usually. I'm not sure why vultures didn't appear often in town before, but they are here now. My uncle had a place on a river in Florida and used to drag dead deer or the occasional dead stray steer behind his tractor away from the house and let the vultures eat them to bones. He memorably said the vultures had never let him down. They have their meal and do their work.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

In Chicago, there's plenty of dead bodies for them to feed on. The worst vultures there though nest in the Government Center.

 

[anotherbob]

I'm used to seeing vultures circling overhead off the side of highways usually out of town out in the country. Over the last few years, I have encountered them more often than before inside the city, usually one coming in for a landing near a dead squirrel in the street, or even three to five of them clustered around some dead animal. Bird habitats change all the time, memorably the big move South by the Canada geese which became a pest until people learned stop feeding them, so now they keep their distance usually. I'm not sure why vultures didn't appear often in town before, but they are here now. My uncle had a place on a river in Florida and used to drag dead deer or the occasional dead stray steer behind his tractor away from the house and let the vultures eat them to bones. He memorably said the vultures had never let him down. They have their meal and do their work.

probably lower levels of activity from people. I've been seeing animals in areas that they normally aren't often in since this whole covid thing happened. Heck even saw a living bobcat.

 

[Morrison Jeremiah]

I'm used to seeing vultures circling overhead off the side of highways usually out of town out in the country.

No vultures here in the UK, but the red kite is making quite a comeback, especially in Wales, and they are spreading out out to other parts.
Strange that they also circle around the main roads, maybe looking for roadkill, I don't think they are carrion eaters though.

 

[fireground_piper]

I am a big fan of vultures. Natures garbage men is what I tell everyone. They keep us clean of the many dead animals that die in the course of a day.

I consider it a healthy sign personally.

 

[STP]

We’ll see turkey vultures from time-to-time. Impressive creatures, but ugly as hell. With up to a 6’ wingspans, they cast a pretty large shadow when flying overhead.

 

[bullet08]

I'm used to seeing vultures circling overhead off the side of highways usually out of town out in the country. Over the last few years, I have encountered them more often than before inside the city, usually one coming in for a landing near a dead squirrel in the street, or even three to five of them clustered around some dead animal. Bird habitats change all the time, memorably the big move South by the Canada geese which became a pest until people learned stop feeding them, so now they keep their distance usually. I'm not sure why vultures didn't appear often in town before, but they are here now. My uncle had a place on a river in Florida and used to drag dead deer or the occasional dead stray steer behind his tractor away from the house and let the vultures eat them to bones. He memorably said the vultures had never let him down. They have their meal and do their work.

Buzzards, I don't mind. Somebody's gotta get rid of those dead bodies. Canadian Geese on the other hand, is becoming a major pain.

 

[renfield]

We’ll see turkey vultures from time-to-time. Impressive creatures, but ugly as hell. With up to a 6’ wingspans, they cast a pretty large shadow when flying overhead.

So graceful in the air. So ugly to the eye up close.

 

[anotherbob]

No vultures here in the UK, but the red kite is making quite a comeback, especially in Wales, and they are spreading out out to other parts.
Strange that they also circle around the main roads, maybe looking for roadkill, I don't think they are carrion eaters though.

they could just be morbid. Like they're just into seeing dead animals. Actually I think they circle looking for prey. I see that a lot with the hawks around here, who certainly aren't carrion eaters.

 

[Aomalley27]

I'm used to seeing vultures circling overhead off the side of highways usually out of town out in the country. Over the last few years, I have encountered them more often than before inside the city, usually one coming in for a landing near a dead squirrel in the street, or even three to five of them clustered around some dead animal. Bird habitats change all the time, memorably the big move South by the Canada geese which became a pest until people learned stop feeding them, so now they keep their distance usually. I'm not sure why vultures didn't appear often in town before, but they are here now. My uncle had a place on a river in Florida and used to drag dead deer or the occasional dead stray steer behind his tractor away from the house and let the vultures eat them to bones. He memorably said the vultures had never let him down. They have their meal and do their work.

Here in Illinois, the Turkey Vulture and the Red tailed Hawk have both seen some significant increases.
You see Turkey Vultures regularly near Elfstrom Stadium (Kane County Cougars baseball stadium); as well as Blackwell Forest Preserve, Springbrook Prairie, and Hidden Lake.
I see Red Tailed Hawks almost every day. And they are especially large specimen. Look more like a juvenile Eagle than a RT Hawk.
There’s also a Nesting pair of Eagles not far from my home, (but I don’t tell folks where, as undoubtedly they’ll disturb those wonderful birds as they did a few years ago for the pair at Marmion)
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of seeing a pair of Peregrine’s chasing a goshawk.
My neighbor confirmed by snapping a few photos. The scream of the goshawk was amazing.
I believe the only thing not to rebound has been the common crow. Pretty sure West Nile decimated them. Used to see them on pretty much every corner...... now I haven’t seen one, not a single one, in years. (In Chicago Suburbs at least)

 

[Bluemonter]

They're ever present here. Almost constantly circling in the sky.
I live in a very rural area.
There's more livestock than the are people.
Animals die, the vultures circle around and pick up the scent (they have terrible sight) then clean em up....all is well. I especially appreciate them during hunting season.

It's the hawks, owls, and bald eagles you gotta watch out for around here.
Gotta have a sizeable dog. Cats and lap dogs don't last around here.

 

[agnosticpipe]

Here in rural Mississippi there always seems to be a kettle of vultures circling somewhere. Like it's been said, they clean up the road kill and other dead things.

 

[irishearl]

Oh, turkey vultures are quite common in the town where I live, particularly in my neighborhood. Earlier this year while I was out in the yard doing some work early 1 evening around 100 of them slowly glided by. Most I've seen at 1 time.

 

[Chasing Embers]

We have the only Hot Pocket producing factory in the world and you see vultures there all the time.

 

[mso489]

Carrion eaters like turkey buzzards have amazing stomach acid that kills all the bugs that would kill other animals and people in spoiled meat. If something dies upstream in a mountain creek it can poison a person drinking directly from the creek, but the buzzards can feast on that same carcass. Really amazing digestion. No Zantac for those boys and girls. Listeria is just like a spice to them.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

I'm used to seeing vultures circling overhead off the side of highways usually out of town out in the country. Over the last few years, I have encountered them more often than before inside the city, usually one coming in for a landing near a dead squirrel in the street, or even three to five of them clustered around some dead animal. Bird habitats change all the time, memorably the big move South by the Canada geese which became a pest until people learned stop feeding them, so now they keep their distance usually. I'm not sure why vultures didn't appear often in town before, but they are here now. My uncle had a place on a river in Florida and used to drag dead deer or the occasional dead stray steer behind his tractor away from the house and let the vultures eat them to bones. He memorably said the vultures had never let him down. They have their meal and do their work.

Found a dead deer in the pasture 5 years ago and I knew I had to find a way bury. 24 hours later all that was left was the vertibral column. It had to be a team effort with the cyotoyes.

 

[anantaandroscoggin]

The last time I visited my parents on the other coast, I remember watching out their back window a group of four turkey buzzards picking at a dead snake, perhaps 15 yards from the house.

 

[mso489]

Buzzards are like sharks. You don't love them, but without them we'd be swimming in carcasses.

 

[sablebrush52]

When I saw the title I thought Real Estate Hedge Funds. Now those are some serious buzzards.

 

[kcghost]

Something about a banker just being a vulture is so true. At least real vultures fulfill a useful role in nature.