Saw my first turkey vulture!! Anyone spy these critters?

[wapiti11]

I have seen them around Beaverhill Lake, Hairy Hill, and Two Hills.

[blackpowderrlw]

three at the Forestburg mine tonight

[mcgimp]

They are common throughout southern Alberta and we've all likely seen them. When they are soaring they are often mistaken for hawks. Only when on the ground or sitting on pole are they instantly recognizable.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by mcgimp

They are common throughout southern Alberta and we've all likely seen them. When they are soaring they are often mistaken for hawks. Only when on the ground or sitting on pole are they instantly recognizable.

Once you've watched one fly, not hard to identify.
Grizz

[Buckhunter123]

Seen the south east sask. And around red deer a few times. Also by Vernon bc. They are around.

[Lunker Hill]

Yesterday during a strong wind 3 Turkey Vultures sored/were blown low over our home giving us an excellent view of these fascinating birds. We live between LaCombe and Ponoka.

[6.5swedeforelk]

So they nest in old buildings...

That would explain these buggers refusing to leave
this old homestead.

Stumbling upon an occupied nest in a dark attic
just might deter some human scavengers.

[honda450]

I have seen a few mostly in the Viking area. Feeding on road kill.

[Bushmaster]

They aren't that uncommon around here anymore. Even seen a few of the black headed ones.

[Tom Cat]

Originally Posted by omega50

Found some fun facts.

The Turkey Vulture often defecates on its own legs, using the evaporation of the water in the feces and/or urine to cool itself, a process known as urohydrosis. It cools the blood vessels in the unfeathered feet, and causes white uric acid to streak the legs

The turkey vulture is the most abundant vulture in the Americas. Its global population is estimated to be 4,500,000 individuals.

It has very few natural predators. Its primary form of defense is regurgitating semi-digested meat, a foul-smelling substance which deters most creatures intent on raiding a vulture nest. It will also sting if the predator is close enough to get the vomit in its face or eyes. In some cases, the vulture must rid its crop of a heavy, undigested meal in order to take flight to flee from a potential predator

This would explain the horrendous smell after one bounced off my windshield, also in SE Manitoba, I swear I could still smell it half a year later. Prob just in my head though

[MOUNTAIN MICKEY]

They still hang out around here in Elkford

[Strix]

Coincidentally a turkey vulture flew over the house this morning.
First one I have seen this spring.

[TrapperMike]

This one didn’t make it across hwy 21 near bashaw.

[^v^Tinda wolf^v^]

Yup they are on the red deer river as well.

[88thunderbird]

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I saw some in summer 2016 picking at a road kill deer on the highway

[Talking moose]

Honest to god, I do a ton of traveling, and every time I’m in the Smokey lake area, I see vultures. I don’t get south much but spend a lot of time touring the central and north. Something about the area. My head is peeled to the sky looking for them high up riding the currents.

[calgarychef]

I've seen their nests in abandoned granaries, huge nests and a bit creepy with all of he various animal bones strewn around.

[TROLLER]

pretty well anywhere east and no of Brooks and also as mentioned in the Drum area as well as east and so. of Hanna. Should not be hard to spot them

[TrapperMike]

If anyone finds a dead one, Ben at Art of Taxidermy mounted mine.

[IR_mike]

I have been seeing them in the Bonnyville area all my life.
Found a nest last year.
Lots around Moose lake in the summers.

[overhere]

Seen them all the time when i lived in Ontario. They are kinda cool looking

[Jack fish hunter]

I seen 3 south east of Leduc 2 years ago. Ugliest bird I've seen in my life.

[DLab]

They usually show up around Med. Hat the 3rd. week of April ,give or take .
In the summer they like to roost in the evenings on the Comm. tower on the top of the Telus building down town, from 6-10 of them early in the year ,12-15 later in the season. Family group I would assume.
I wouldn't care to be the Service Tech climbing up there to do repairs.
A few years ago the entire group/flock were circling the SE hill, just over the tree tops, my two neighbors were out taking pictures ,the one lady asks " Have you ever seen them do that before?" I said yes ,they come in every spring like that ,she replies " I've never seen Eagles do that before" I said you're not seeing them now either ,those are Vultures.
Disgusted ,they both went back indoors.

[Big Grey Wolf]

I finally decided to quit raising pheasants when 3 vultures were hovering over my pens. That was last straw after all raptures kept killing them west of Spruce Grove.

[DLab]

Vultures are nature's cleaning crew ,they prefer dead and don't mind smelly, rotten stuff.
Don't believe they hunt in the traditional sense of a Raptor ,so I don't think your Pheasants were at much risk .

[highland]

Caught this one cleaning up a cow last September.

[unimog3]

They circle in the air at my parents place all summer!

[Trochu]

Originally Posted by unimog3

They circle in the air at my parents place all summer!

How old are your parents?!?

[gazin16]

Always see them around bonnyville

[32-40win]

First time I'd ever noticed them was turkey hunting near Jaffray. Walking in the bush, two jumped up off a deer carcass. Never noticed them being around anywhere else, but, maybe I wasn't really looking too hard. They are a fugly creature. I always thought of crows and ravens as being the vultures of the north country until I saw those two. Makes a person wonder if their numbers have increased with the number of critters humans have around the countryside these days, along the same lines as the relationship between geese and farm food sources.