Photo of the Day #520: Why did the turkey vulture cross the road?

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Why did the turkey vulture cross the road? [Warning: The answer isn't pretty]


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To get to the deer carcass on the other side, of course.


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Lovely. Reminds me of when I was in Florida in '07 and saw a squished armadillo on the side of the road, and three black vultures feeding from (what was left of) the carcass. Of course I took pictures, what kind of biologist would I be if I didn't?

Same thing happens around here every year.
One or more of our deer herd die due to old age or disease. They sit in the field or forest until the big birds show up or the coyotes start to munch on them. We have quite a collection of deer bones, mostly skulls. The daughter just loves them (she's 20).
Our vulture flock nests about a mile from my house. They use an old, abandoned stone farm house and have lots of baby vultures every year.

Living beside a highway, I see these uncomely birds (and their roadkill meals) frequently. BTW, I suppose you've heard of the turkey vulture's annual sojourn to Hinkley, Ohio, which, like the swallow's visits to Capistrano, have never, to my knowledge, been explained.

By Raymond Minton (not verified) on 14 Mar 2009 #permalink