Turkey Vulture
A species of Turkey and Yellow-headed Vultures, Also known as John Crow, Jankro Scientific name : Cathartes aura Genus : Turkey and Yellow-headed Vultures
Turkey Vulture, A species of Turkey and Yellow-headed Vultures
Also known as:
John Crow, Jankro
Botanical name: Cathartes aura
Genus: Turkey and Yellow-headed Vultures
Content
Description People often ask General Info
Photo By Francesco Veronesi , used under CC-BY-SA-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
The turkey Vulture is a common sight, especially around roads, where they keep a sharp eye out for roadkill. Seeing these large birds in the sky can often make you take a second look to see if it’s an eagle or a hawk. Here’s one quick way to tell the difference. When in flight, a turkey Vulture will circle unsteadily, with its wings lifted to make a V shape. Though they are not appreciated, they do the dirty work of the animal kingdom by cleaning up the countryside as they scavenge.
Size
62 - 81 cm
Life Expectancy
10-17 years
Nest Placement
Cliff
Clutch Size
1 - 3 eggs
Incubation Period
1 brood
Number of Broods
28 - 40 days
Nestling Period
60 - 84 days
Feeding Habits
Turkey Vulture primarily consume carrion, particularly of mammals. They have a keen sense of smell for locating food and prefer recently deceased animals to prevent food from becoming too decomposed. While they mostly eat soft animal parts and can digest carcasses with diseases, they occasionally ingest plant matter and invertebrates.
Habitat
Turkey Vulture thrives in a variety of open and semi-open environments, from subtropical forests to shrublands, deserts, and foothills. These birds are adapted to an ample range that encompasses pastures, grasslands, wetlands, and mixed agricultural lands. They favor areas that offer open spaces for foraging, with adjacent woods providing nesting sites – typically steering clear of dense forests. Turkey Vulture often takes advantage of human-modified landscapes, such as farmland and roadsides, as well as roosting at night in secluded high places like trees or rocky outcrops.
Nest Behavior
Observing turkey Vulture, they may reuse nest sites for many years without crafting elaborate nests. Egg-laying occurs within these modest scrapes, followed by dedicated parental care until fledging.
Nest Characteristics
Turkey Vulture typically nest in secluded sites like rock crevices, caves, dense thickets, or abandoned structures. Their nests lack sophisticated construction, often being a simple scrape on the ground with some vegetation or debris.
Dite type
Scavenger
People often ask
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Bird Feeder Type
Ground
Behavior
Turkey Vulture are known for their unique soaring behavior, displaying a teetering flight pattern at low altitudes to utilize their keen sense of smell for locating carrion. They often form large communal roosts and can be spotted perched with wings outstretched, basking in the sun, likely for thermoregulation or feather drying. Their agility on the ground is limited, moving in awkward hops. Mating rituals involve intricate aerial displays, and during migration, they may travel in massive flocks. At feeding sites, they demonstrate a hierarchical feeding behavior, waiting turns to feed and occasionally being displaced by more aggressive species.
Distribution Area
The turkey vulture has a large range, with an estimated global occurrence of 28,000,000 km (11,000,000 sq mi). It is the most abundant vulture in the Americas. It is found in open and semi-open areas throughout the Americas from southern Canada to Cape Horn. It is a permanent resident in the southern United States, though northern birds may migrate as far south as South America. 
Scientific Classification
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