Turkey Vulture
Family: Cathartidae
Average annual sightings on Hawk Hill: 7828; Hawk Hill sightings throughout season
ID BASICS
Size: length 27 inches; wingspan 96 inches
Key Field Marks: small featherless head with thickly feathered neck; head red in adults, gray in juveniles; underwing is black (coverts) and silver (flight feathers)
Flight: soars for long periods with wings held in strong dihedral; “rocks” or “teeters” in flight
(Average annual sightings based on 2006-2017 data; 2010 and 2013 data not included due to partial seasons)
Turkey Vulture 372 (tagged by GGRO) is seen from Hawk Hill.
Erin Barry/Parks Conservancy
GGRO Banding Manager Teresa Ely teaches 2017 interns how to tag a Turkey Vulture
Ben Dudek/GGRO Volunteer
Turkey Vultures feed on a seal carcass
William Legge/GGRO Volunteer
Turkey Vulture 368 seen from Hawk Hill.
Ruth Cantwell/GGRO Volunteer