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Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

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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
    Turkey Vulture 372 (tagged by GGRO) is seen from Hawk Hill. Erin Barry/Parks Conservancy
  • Turkey Vulture Project
    GGRO Banding Manager Teresa Ely teaches 2017 interns how to tag a Turkey Vulture Ben Dudek/GGRO Volunteer
  • Turkey Vultures
    Turkey Vultures feed on a seal carcass William Legge/GGRO Volunteer
  • Turkey Vulture
    Turkey Vulture 368 seen from Hawk Hill. Ruth Cantwell/GGRO Volunteer