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ARTISTS AND BIRDS
by Marilyn and Keith Davis
"Cowboy Troubles?"
Turkey Vultures
 Do you remember
the Western B Movies? The ones that showed a lone Cowboy out in
the trackless West, his horse down and him afoot? His
canteen had a hole in it, his water was gone and the sky was full of
Turkey Vultures. There were many miles for him to hike in the
relentless heat. Cowboy’s got trouble! Can he make
it? As young kids watching early Western Movies, we knew that only a Cowboy Hero could survive lost in the badlands. With the sky full of Vultures, the movie was doomed to have a bad, bad ending. Well, what a bunch of baloney today!! In reality, Turkey Vultures are good news to men in disposing animal carcasses, not men. Turkey Vultures are immune to almost every disease that strikes down man and beast! By using the fabulous ability to detect odors of dead animals and clean up carcasses, they are a major factor in preventing the spread of many dreaded diseases. In the last weeks of March, we saw our first Turkey Vulture of 2017, a sure sign that Spring is on its way. With the warmth of changing seasons, Turkey Vultures use thermals generated by the sun as a lift to carry them to heights where they can look for dead prey. Warm air rising is the key to this large bird’s ability to master the skies. Turkey Vultures exhibit great agility as they fly through the air, hardly ever flapping a wing. The Turkey Vulture, is also known as the Turkey Buzzard, and in some areas as John Crow or Carrion Crow. It is the most widespread of the New World Vultures. The Turkey Vulture is a scavenger and feeds almost exclusively on carrion. It spots its food with its keen eyesight, and utilizes its sense of smell by flying low enough to detect the gases produced by the beginnings of the process of decay in dead animals. It’s only vocalizations are grunts or low hisses. It has very few natural predators, and has legal protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Watch the skies and look for the Turkey Vulture. Brenda Rusnell is the Artist. If you have questions about birds or upcoming Red Cliffs Audubon events, call 435 673-0996 visit our home page. Everyone is welcome on our monthly field trips held throughout the year, so please feel free to join us. Our next field trip will be April 15 - Lytle Ranch. Past "Artists & Birds" articles are listed in the table below. |