Turkey Vultures

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are actually more closely related to storks than to the vultures of
Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Turkey vultures are remarkably successful birds. They range everywhere
from parts of Canada and much of the United States to South America. At home in
deserts, prairies and woodlands, they have even settled close to people in a
number of urban and suburban areas.
Observed in flight, the turkey vulture appears black with the underside
of its wings grayish or silvery, giving the birds a two-toned appearance. They
characteristically hold their wings in a slight V, or dihedral, thus aiding
identification. On rare occasions, they hold their wings flat and eagle-like
which, if seen at a great distance, may cause the birds to resemble eagles. In
flight, the turkey vulture holds it’s naked head, crimson-red as adults and
grayish-black as immatures, downward in contrast to eagles, which hold their
heads forward.
The tail of the turkey vulture extends far beyond the rear edge of its
wings. ...

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prehistoric-looking
bird spreads its wings and soaks up all the sun it can.
Another trick performed by the turkey vulture is a behavior called
urohidrosis. Like all birds, the turkey vulture has no sweat glands. To cool
itself during hot spells, it frequently defecates on its own legs. The slurry
of white uric acid in the feces contains mositure that cools by evaporating.
The behavior, shared by other vultures and storks, is more efficient that
sweating since it requires no boost in metabolism.
The turkey vulture’s most basic ploy for saving energy is simply staying
put. If the weather is bad for flying, they can and will sit at their roost for
days. Since their metabolism is low ...

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