Turkey vulture

Cathartes aura · The turkey vulture is a large scavenging bird ranging from southern Canada all the way to the tip of South America.

Also called Turkey buzzard, John crow.

Turkey vulture
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0
Turkey vulture
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0
Turkey vulture
Photo: © Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderAccipitriformes
FamilyCathartidae
GenusCathartes
SpeciesCathartes aura

Where it lives

Open country from southern Canada to Tierra del Fuego.

Fun facts

  • It finds carrion mostly by smell, flying low to detect the gases given off by early decay—a skill rare among birds.
  • When threatened at the nest, it defends itself by vomiting foul-smelling, semi-digested meat at the intruder.
  • It cools itself down by pooping and peeing on its own legs, a trick called urohidrosis.
  • Because it lacks a voice box (syrinx), the loudest sounds it can make are hisses and grunts.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).