By Caitlin Ambrose, Interpretive Manager
High in the sky, a bird soars above the trees as it circles looking for food. Its black feathers glisten in the sunlight as its bare red head proves what bird it is. Many people may not deem the turkey vulture their favorite bird, but they are amazing in their own way. They are one of the easier birds to identify in the sky as they are large, broad winged black birds that soar with their wings in the shape of a “V.” They can live more than 30 years, weigh around four pounds and have a wing span of six feet. Turkey vultures eat dead animals, also known as carrion, and unlike most other birds, they have a keen sense of smell and can sense their food up to a mile away. Due to this trait, turkey vultures assist in clearing our roadways of dead animals. To defend themselves, the turkey vulture vomits on its attacker, thus deterring the predator. Turkey vultures are very sociable and form large groups called wakes. Unlike some birds, turkey vultures mate for life. The male and female both take part in the raising of their young with one to three per clutch. Their nests are on the ground and may be used for years. It takes up to four months for the parents to raise their young from eggs to fully-grown vultures.
Buzz
Like many birds, turkey vultures migrate to southern Ohio or further for the winter. They leave Ohio around November and return in late February to early March. Cleveland Metroparks has a celebration of the vultures’ return at Hinckley Township in Medina County every March.
Fun fact: turkey vultures do not have a voice box, therefore they cannot sing or call but rather use hisses or grunts.
Both Ms. V and Buzz are imprinted, meaning they lost their natural fear of humans. Ms. V has been a resident at the Wildlife Center since 1985, after she was taken from her nest by two young boys who wanted to raise her as a pet. Ms. V gets her name from the classic “V” formation of a turkey vulture in flight. Buzz came to the Wildlife Center in 2006. He is named for the common mistake that turkey vultures are buzzards, which they are not.
Ms. V
Lake Metroparks Animal Ambassadors represent a variety of native Ohio wildlife species. These residents are under the permanent care of the Kevin P. Clinton Wildlife Center staff because their injuries prohibit independent survival. Animal Ambassadors allow us to educate the public about conservation.
We invite you to support our mission of nature education, conservation and stewardship through "adopting" one of our Animal Ambassadors. Click here for more information.