{{Short description|Most widespread New World vulture}} {{pp-move|small=yes}} {{Featured article}} {{Speciesbox | name = Turkey vulture | fossil_range = {{Fossil range|Pleistocene|present}} | image = Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) Orange Walk.jpg | image_caption = ''C. a. aura''<br>Orange Walk District, Belize | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2018 |title=''Cathartes aura'' |volume=2018 |article-number=e.T22697627A131941613 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22697627A131941613.en |access-date=11 November 2021}}</ref> | genus = Cathartes | species = aura | authority = (Linnaeus, 1758) | range_map = Cathartes aura map.svg | range_map_caption = Range of ''C. aura'' {{leftlegend|#ff9955|Summer only range|outline=gray}}{{leftlegend|#8d5fd3|Year-round range|outline=gray}} | synonyms = ''Vultur aura'' {{small|Linnaeus, 1758}} }}
The '''turkey vulture''' ('''''Cathartes aura''''') is the most widespread of the New World vultures.<ref name="Concise">{{cite encyclopedia | title =Turkey vulture | encyclopedia =Britannica Concise Encyclopedia | url =http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/609947/turkey-vulture | access-date =2007-10-14 | archive-date =2020-08-23 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20200823203841/https://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/609947/turkey-vulture | url-status =live }}</ref> One of three species in the genus ''Cathartes'' of the family Cathartidae, the turkey vulture ranges from southern Canada to the southernmost tip of South America. It inhabits a variety of open and semi-open areas, including subtropical forests, shrublands, pastures, and deserts.<ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021" />
Like all New World vultures, it is not closely related to the Old World vultures of Europe, Africa, and Asia. However, the two groups strongly resemble each other due to convergent evolution.
The turkey vulture is a scavenger and feeds almost exclusively on carrion.<ref name="ADW"/> It finds its food using its keen eyes and sense of smell, flying low enough to detect the gasses produced by the early stages of decay in dead animals.<ref name="ADW"/> In flight, it uses thermals to move through the air, flapping its wings infrequently. It roosts in large community groups. Lacking a syrinx—the vocal organ of birds—its only vocalizations are grunts or low hisses.<ref name="Miskimen">{{cite journal | last = Miskimen | first = Mildred | title = Absence of Syrinx in the Turkey Vulture (''Cathartes aura'') | journal = The Auk | volume = 74 | issue = 1 | pages = 104–105 | date = January 1957 | url = http://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v074n01/p0104-p0105.pdf | access-date = 2006-10-24 | doi = 10.2307/4082043 | jstor = 4082043 | archive-date = 2016-03-04 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304205003/http://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v074n01/p0104-p0105.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref> It nests in caves, hollow trees, or thickets. Each year it generally raises two chicks, which it feeds by regurgitation.<ref name="Fergus"/> It has very few natural predators.<ref name="snyder"/> In the United States, the vulture receives legal protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.<ref name="FWS"/>
== Names == It is also known in some North American regions as a "buzzard" or "turkey buzzard," which in the Old World instead refers to members of the genus ''Buteo''.<ref>{{cite web |title = Turkey Vultures |work = Birds of Texas |publisher = Texas Parks & Wildlife |year = 2001 |url = http://www.passporttotexas.com/birds/oct00.html |access-date = 2007-10-29 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071130004115/http://www.passporttotexas.com/birds/oct00.html |archive-date = 2007-11-30 }}{{cite book|last=Liddell|first=Henry George|author2=Robert Scott|year=1980|title=Greek-English Lexicon, Abridged Edition|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford|isbn=0-19-910207-4|url=https://archive.org/details/lexicon00lidd}}</ref> In some areas of the Caribbean it is known as the "John crow" or "carrion crow."<ref> [http://www.peregrinefund.org/explore_raptors/vultures/turkevul.html Turkey Vulture (''Cathartes aura'')] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430172956/http://www.peregrinefund.org/explore_raptors/vultures/turkevul.html|date=2009-04-30}} . peregrinefund.org </ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Taylor |first=Orville |date=November 9, 2025 |title=John Crows to the rescue |url=https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/commentary/20251109/orville-taylor-john-crows-rescue |access-date=November 9, 2025 |work=The Gleaner}}</ref>
== Taxonomy ==
The turkey vulture received its common name from the resemblance of the adult's bald red head and dark plumage to that of the male wild turkey, while the name "vulture" is derived from the Latin word ''vulturus'', meaning "tearer", and is a reference to its feeding habits.<ref name="Holloway">{{cite book | last =Holloway | first =Joel Ellis | title =Dictionary of Birds of the United States: Scientific and Common Names | publisher =Timber Press | year =2003 | page =59 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=41knpiVqnKYC&pg=PA59 | isbn =0-88192-600-0 | access-date =2020-08-27 | archive-date =2021-08-10 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20210810180237/https://books.google.com/books?id=41knpiVqnKYC&pg=PA59 | url-status =live }}</ref> The word ''buzzard'' is used by North Americans to refer to this bird, yet in the Old World that term refers to members of the genus ''Buteo''.<ref>{{cite web |title = Turkey Vultures |work = Birds of Texas |publisher = Texas Parks & Wildlife |year = 2001 |url = http://www.passporttotexas.com/birds/oct00.html |access-date = 2007-10-29 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071130004115/http://www.passporttotexas.com/birds/oct00.html |archive-date = 2007-11-30 }}{{cite book|last=Liddell|first=Henry George|author2=Robert Scott|year=1980|title=Greek-English Lexicon, Abridged Edition|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Oxford|isbn=0-19-910207-4|url=https://archive.org/details/lexicon00lidd}}</ref> The turkey vulture was first formally described by Carl Linnaeus as ''Vultur aura'' in his 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', and characterised as "''V. fuscogriseus, remigibus nigris, rostro albo''" ("brown-gray vulture, with black wing flight feathers and a white beak").<ref>{{cite book | last=Linnaeus | first=Carolus | author-link=Carl Linnaeus | title=Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. | publisher=Holmiae. (Laurentii Salvii). | year=1758| page= 86|language=la}}</ref> It is a member of the family Cathartidae, along with the other six species of New World vultures, and included in the genus ''Cathartes'', along with the greater yellow-headed vulture and the lesser yellow-headed vulture. Like other New World vultures, the turkey vulture has a diploid chromosome number of 80.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Chromosomal analysis in Cathartidae: distribution of heterochromatic blocks and rDNA, and phylogenetic considerations|author=Tagliarini, Marcella Mergulhão|author2=Pieczarka, Julio Cesar|author3=Nagamachi, Cleusa Yoshiko|author4=Rissino, Jorge|author5= de Oliveira, Edivaldo Herculano C. |name-list-style=amp |year=2009|journal=Genetica|volume=135|pmid=18504528|issue=3|pages=299–304|doi=10.1007/s10709-008-9278-2|s2cid=22786201}}</ref>
The taxonomic placement of the turkey vulture and the remaining six species of New World vultures has been in flux.<ref name="SACC"> Remsen, J. V. Jr.; C. D. Cadena; A. Jaramillo; M. Nores; J. F. Pacheco; M. B. Robbins; T. S. Schulenberg; F. G. Stiles; D. F. Stotz & K. J. Zimmer. (2007). [http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.html ''A classification of the bird species of South America.''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302073659/http://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.html |date=2009-03-02 }} South American Classification Committee. Retrieved 2007–10–15 </ref> Though both are similar in appearance and have similar ecological roles, the New World and Old World vultures evolved from different ancestors in different parts of the world. Some earlier authorities suggested that the New World vultures were more closely related to storks.<ref>Sibley, Charles G. and Burt L. Monroe. (1990). ''[https://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0300049692 Distribution and Taxonomy of the Birds of the World] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210717204631/https://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0300049692 |date=2021-07-17 }}''. Yale University Press. {{ISBN|0-300-04969-2}}. Retrieved 2007-04-11.</ref> More recent authorities maintained their overall position in the order Accipitiformes along with the Old World vultures<ref>Sibley, Charles G., and Jon E. Ahlquist. (1991). ''[https://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0300040857 Phylogeny and Classification of Birds: A Study in Molecular Evolution] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013180806/https://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0300040857 |date=2020-10-13 }}''. Yale University Press. {{ISBN|0-300-04085-7}}. Retrieved 2007-04-11.</ref> or place them in their own order, Cathartiformes.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Ericson, Per G. P. |author2=Anderson, Cajsa L. |author3=Britton, Tom |author4=Elżanowski, Andrzej |author5=Johansson, Ulf S. |author6=Kallersjö, Mari |author7=Ohlson, Jan I. |author8=Parsons, Thomas J. |author9=Zuccon, Dario |author10=Mayr, Gerald |name-list-style=amp |year=2006|title= Diversification of Neoaves: integration of molecular sequence data and fossils|journal=Biology Letters|pages= 1–5|doi=10.1098/rsbl.2006.0523|volume=2|issue=4|pmid=17148284|pmc=1834003}}</ref>
However, recent genetic studies indicate that neither New World nor Old World vultures are close to falcons, nor are New World vultures close to storks.<ref name = "Hackett2008">{{cite journal| last1 = Hackett| first1 = Shannon J.| last2 = Kimball| first2 = Rebecca T.| last3 = Reddy| first3 = Sushma| last4 = Bowie| first4 = Rauri C. K.| last5 = Braun| first5 = Edward L.| last6 = Braun| first6 = Michael J.| last7 = Chojnowski| first7 = Jena L.| last8 = Cox| first8 = W. Andrew| last9 = Han| first9 = Kin-Lan| last10 = Harshman| first10 = John| last11 = Huddleston| first11 = Christopher J.| last12 = Marks| first12 = Ben D.| last13 = Miglia| first13 = Kathleen J.| last14 = Moore| first14 = William S.| last15 = Sheldon| first15 = Frederick H.| last16 = Steadman| first16 = David W.| last17 = Witt| first17 = Christopher C.| last18 = Yuri| first18 = Tamaki| title = A phylogenomic study of birds reveals their evolutionary history| journal = Science| date = 2008| volume = 320| issue = 5884| pages = 1763–68| doi = 10.1126/science.1157704| pmid = 18583609| url = http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/320/5884/1763| bibcode = 2008Sci...320.1763H| s2cid = 6472805| access-date = 2015-08-28| archive-date = 2009-09-05| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090905202240/http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/320/5884/1763| url-status = live| url-access = subscription}}</ref> Both are basal members of the clade Afroaves,<ref name = "Jarvis2014"/> with Old World vultures comprising several groups within the family Accipitridae, also containing eagles, kites, and hawks,<ref name="Lerner2005">{{cite journal| doi = 10.1016/j.ympev.2005.04.010| last1 = Lerner| first1 = Heather R. L.| last2 = Mindell| first2 = David P.| date = November 2005| title = Phylogeny of eagles, Old World vultures, and other Accipitridae based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA| journal = Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution| issn = 1055-7903| volume = 37| issue = 2| pages = 327–346| pmid = 15925523| bibcode = 2005MolPE..37..327L| url = http://www-personal.umich.edu/~hlerner/LM2005.pdf| access-date = 31 May 2011| archive-date = 6 June 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110606125031/http://www-personal.umich.edu/~hlerner/LM2005.pdf| url-status = live}}</ref><ref name = "Griffiths2007"/> while New World vultures in Cathartiformes are a sister group to Accipitriformes<ref name = "Jarvis2014">{{Cite journal| doi = 10.1126/science.1253451| pmid = 25504713| url = https://pgl.soe.ucsc.edu/jarvis14.pdf| title = Whole-genome analyses resolve early branches in the tree of life of modern birds| journal = Science| volume = 346| issue = 6215| pages = 1320–1331| date = 2014| last1 = Jarvis| first1 = E. D.| author1-link = Erich Jarvis| last2 = Mirarab| first2 = S.| last3 = Aberer| first3 = A. J.| last4 = Li| first4 = B.| last5 = Houde| first5 = P.| last6 = Li| first6 = C.| last7 = Ho| first7 = S. Y. W.| last8 = Faircloth| first8 = B. C.| last9 = Nabholz| first9 = B.| last10 = Howard| first10 = J. T.| last11 = Suh| first11 = A.| last12 = Weber| first12 = C. C.| last13 = Da Fonseca| first13 = R. R.| last14 = Li| first14 = J.| last15 = Zhang| first15 = F.| last16 = Li| first16 = H.| last17 = Zhou| first17 = L.| last18 = Narula| first18 = N.| last19 = Liu| first19 = L.| last20 = Ganapathy| first20 = G.| last21 = Boussau| first21 = B.| last22 = Bayzid| first22 = M. S.| last23 = Zavidovych| first23 = V.| last24 = Subramanian| first24 = S.| last25 = Gabaldon| first25 = T.| last26 = Capella-Gutierrez| first26 = S.| last27 = Huerta-Cepas| first27 = J.| last28 = Rekepalli| first28 = B.| last29 = Munch| first29 = K.| last30 = Schierup| first30 = M.| display-authors = 29| bibcode = 2014Sci...346.1320J| pmc = 4405904| hdl = 10072/67425| access-date = 2015-08-28| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150224020622/http://pgl.soe.ucsc.edu/jarvis14.pdf| archive-date = 2015-02-24}}</ref> (containing the osprey and secretarybird along with Accipitridae<ref name = "Griffiths2007">{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1111/j.2007.0908-8857.03971.x| title = Phylogeny, diversity, and classification of the Accipitridae based on DNA sequences of the RAG-1 exon| journal = Journal of Avian Biology| volume = 38| issue = 5| pages = 587–602| date = 2007-11-06| last1 = Griffiths | first1 = C. S. | last2 = Barrowclough | first2 = G. F. | last3 = Groth | first3 = J. G. | last4 = Mertz | first4 = L. A.}}</ref>).
== Distribution and habitat == {{Easy CSS image crop|Image=Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Pilcomayo, Formosa, Argentina imported from iNaturalist photo 478244272.jpg|desired_width=250|align=right|crop_top_perc=20|crop_right_perc=5|crop_left_perc=10|caption=With a lesser yellow-headed vulture, in Formosa, Argentina}} The turkey vulture has a large range, with an estimated global occurrence of {{Convert|28000000|km2|abbr = on}}. It is the most widely distributed vulture in the Americas and rivals its cousin the black vulture as the most abundant raptorial bird worldwide.<ref name="Concise" /> Its global population is estimated to be 18,000,000 individuals.<ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021" /><ref>Sauer, J. R., J. E. Hines, J. E. Fallon, K. L. Pardieck Jr. Ziolkowski, D. J. and W. A. Link. ''The North American Breeding Bird Survey, results and analysis 1966-2013'' (Version 1.30.15). USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (2014b). Available from https://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609035457/http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/ |date=2012-06-09 }}</ref> It is found in open and semi-open areas throughout the Americas from southern Canada to Cape Horn. It is a permanent resident in the southern United States, though northern birds may migrate as far south as South America.<ref name="ADW">{{cite web | last =Attwood | first =E | title =''Cathartes aura'' | work =Animal Diversity Web | publisher =University of Michigan Museum of Zoology | url =http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cathartes_aura.html | access-date =2007-09-30 | archive-date =2004-04-17 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20040417174908/http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cathartes_aura.html | url-status =live }}</ref>
The turkey vulture is widespread over nearly all American habitats but they tend to show particular habitat preferences.<ref name="BNA" /> It is most commonly found in relatively open areas which juxtapose with woodland, which are important both for nesting and roosting. Furthermore, turkey vultures in North America generally avoid enclosed forested areas that may hamper their ability to take flight and tend to often favor hill or low mountainous areas that make catching flight easier with less effort.<ref name="Hilty" /><ref>Wright, A. L., R. H. Yahner, and G. L. Storm (1986). ''Roost-tree characteristics and abundance of wintering vultures at a communal roost in south central Pennsylvania''. Raptor Research 20:102–107.</ref> This species can be seen over open country, including grasslands but are often absent from completely treeless areas such as some parts of the prairies or Great Plains.<ref name="BNA" /><ref>Johnsgard, P. A. (1979). ''Birds of the Great Plains: Breeding Species and their Distribution''. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, NE, USA.</ref> Additionally, they may adapt to tropical and subtropical forests, shrublands, deserts and semi-desert, wetlands and foothills.<ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021" /><ref name="BNA" /><ref name="Kaufman" /> Evidence indicates agricultural land is key habitat for turkey vultures, mainly pastureland or other low-input farmland for foraging and roosting but they tend to only occur ephemerally as flyovers around row-crop type agriculture.<ref>Graber, R. R., and J. W. Graber (1963). ''A comparative study of bird populations in Illinois, 1906-1909 and 1956-1958''. Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin 28:383-528.</ref><ref>Butcher, G. S., G. P. Senesac, J. D. Lowe, D. L. Tessaglia, D. M. Nutter and R. J. O'Connor. (1991). ''A retrospective study of bird populations and agriculture: reproduction of birds in agricultural habitats''. Maine: Univ. of Orono.</ref><ref>Coleman, J. S., and J. D. Fraser (1989). ''Habitat use and home ranges of Black and Turkey vultures''. Journal of Wildlife Management 53:782–792.</ref> Other manmade habitats can be used, with the species regularly seen over urban areas throughout its range, though they tend to use them more when not breeding, being unable to nest without appropriate habitats, and do not occur as an urban bird nearly as routinely as do black vultures in the tropics and subtropics.<ref>Gaby, S. R. P. (1982). ''Age-specific resource utilization by wintering migrant Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) in south Florida''. Phd Thesis, Univ. of Miami, Miami, FL.</ref><ref>Ferrara, J. L. (1987). ''Why vultures make good neighbors''. Nat. Wildl. 25 (4; June–July):16-21.</ref>
This bird with its crow-like aspect gave foot to the naming of the Quebrada de los Cuervos (Crows Ravine) in Uruguay, where they dwell together with the lesser yellow-headed vulture and the black vulture.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ceibal.edu.uy/UserFiles/P0001/ODEA/HTML/quebrada.elp/qu_es_la_quebrada_de_los_cuervos.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928082937/http://www.ceibal.edu.uy/UserFiles/P0001/ODEA/HTML/quebrada.elp/qu_es_la_quebrada_de_los_cuervos.html|title=Quebrada de los Cuervos|archive-date=September 28, 2013}}</ref>
== Subspecies == There are five subspecies of turkey vulture:
{| class="wikitable " |- ! Image !! Subspecies !Common name!! Description !!Distribution |- |120px || ''C. a. aura'' {{small|Linnaeus, 1758}} |Antillean turkey vulture||The nominate subspecies. Occasionally overlaps its range with other subspecies. The smallest of the subspecies, but nearly indistinguishable from ''C. a. meridionalis'' in color.<ref name="Amadon" /> ||From Mexico south through South America and the Greater Antilles. |- |120px ||''C. a. jota'' {{small|Molina, GI 1782}} |Chilean turkey vulture||Larger, browner, and slightly paler than ''C. a. ruficollis''. Secondary feathers and wing coverts may have gray margins.<ref name="Blake">{{cite book | author = Blake, Emmet Reid | title =Birds of Mexico: A Guide for Field Identification | publisher =University of Chicago Press | year =1953 | page =[https://archive.org/details/birdsofmexicogui00blak/page/267 267] | url =https://archive.org/details/birdsofmexicogui00blak | url-access = registration | isbn= 0-226-05641-4}}</ref> || It is found all the way to the Andes in Colombia, all the way to southern Argentina.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.birdphotos.com/photos/v?q=gallery&g2_view=xebug.ShowTree&g2_code=RangeMap&g2_species=Turkey%20Vulture | title = Turkey Vulture: Range Map | website = birdphotos.com | access-date = 14 October 2024 }}</ref> |- |120px ||''C. a. meridionalis'' {{small|Swann, 1921}} |Western turkey vulture||A synonym for ''C. a. teter''. ''C. a. teter'' was identified as a subspecies by Friedman in 1933, but in 1964 Alexander Wetmore separated the western birds, which took the name ''meridionalis'', which was applied earlier to a migrant from South America. ||Breeds from southern Manitoba, southern British Columbia, central Alberta and Saskatchewan south to Baja California, south-central Arizona, southeastern New Mexico, and south-central Texas.<ref>{{cite book | author1 =Peters J. L. | author2 =Mayr E.& Cottrell,W. | title =Check-list of Birds of the World | publisher =Museum of Comparative Zoology | year =1979 | page =276 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=RNA9AAAAIAAJ | access-date =2020-08-27 | archive-date =2021-07-28 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20210728021403/https://books.google.com/books?id=RNA9AAAAIAAJ | url-status =live }}</ref> It is the most migratory subspecies, migrating as far as South America, where it overlaps the range of the smaller ''C. a. aura''. It differs from the eastern turkey vulture in color, as the edges of the lesser wing coverts are darker brown and narrower.<ref name="Amadon" /> |- |120px ||''C. a. ruficollis''{{small| Spix, 1824}} |Tropical turkey vulture|| Darker and more black than ''C. a. aura'', with brown wing edgings which are narrower or absent altogether.<ref name="Brown">{{cite book |author1 = Brown, Leslie |author2 = Amadon, Dean |name-list-style = amp |title = Eagles, Hawks, and Falcons of the World |publisher = McGraw-Hill |year = 1968 |page = 175 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=fcM9AAAAIAAJ |access-date = 2020-08-27 |archive-date = 2021-07-28 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210728021404/https://books.google.com/books?id=fcM9AAAAIAAJ |url-status = live }}</ref> Head and neck are dull red with yellow-white or green-white markings. Adults generally have a pale yellow patch on the crown of the head.<ref name="Blake" /> ||Found in Panama south through Uruguay and Argentina. It is also found on the island of Trinidad.<ref name="Brown" /> |- |120px ||''C. a. septentrionalis'' {{small|Wied-Neuwied, 1839}} |Eastern turkey vulture||Eastern and western turkey vultures differ in tail and wing proportions. It is less migratory than ''C. a. meridionalis'' and rarely migrates to areas south of the United States.<ref name="Amadon">{{Cite journal| last = Amadon| first = Dean| title = Notes on the Taxonomy of Vultures| journal = Condor| volume = 79| issue = 4| pages = 413–416| year = 1977| url = http://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/condor/v079n04/p0413-p0416.pdf| doi = 10.2307/1367720| jstor = 1367720| publisher = Cooper Ornithological Society| access-date = 2013-02-23| archive-date = 2017-08-10| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170810124805/https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/condor/v079n04/p0413-p0416.pdf| url-status = live}}</ref> ||From southeastern Canada south through the eastern United States. |- |}
== Description == {{Easy CSS image crop|Image=Turkey Vulture, Sycamore Grove Park - Livermore Area Recreation and Park District, Livermore, CA, US imported from iNaturalist photo 349271286.jpg|desired_width=250|caption=Showing wingspan, in California|crop_left_perc=10|crop_right_perc=7|crop_bottom_perc=15|crop_top_perc=15}}thumb|Skull of a turkey vulture {{Listen|filename=Turkey Vulture.ogg|title=Sounds of a turkey vulture}}{{Easy CSS image crop|Image=Black Vulture, Ward's Island, Toronto, ON, Canada imported from iNaturalist photo 276620232.jpg|desired_width=250|align=right|caption=Black vulture (left) with turkey vulture (right), in Toronto|crop_left_perc=15|crop_right_perc=20|crop_top_perc=15|crop_bottom_perc=10}} A large bird, it has a wingspan of {{convert|160|–|182|cm|in|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ferguson-Lees |first=James |title=Raptors of the World |date=2005 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing Plc |others=David A. Christie |isbn=978-0-7136-6957-2 |series=Helm Field Guides |location=London}}</ref> although possibly up to {{Convert|200|cm|in|abbr=on}}<ref name=":0">{{Citation |title=Handbook of the birds of the world. 2: New world vultures to guineafowl / Josep del Hoyo ... [ed.]. Richard Bierregaard|date=1994|editor-last=Hoyo|editor-first=Josep del|place=Barcelona|publisher=Lynx Ed|isbn=978-84-87334-15-3|editor2-last=Bierregaard|editor2-first=Richard}}</ref>, a length of {{convert|62|–|81|cm|in|abbr=on}}, and weight of {{convert|0.8|to|2.41|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Hilty">{{cite book | last =Hilty | first =Stephen L. | title =A Guide to the Birds of Colombia | publisher =Princeton University Press | year =1977 | page =87 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=1k5fV_hQqE8C&pg=PA87 | isbn =0-691-08372-X | access-date =2020-08-27 | archive-date =2021-07-28 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20210728021405/https://books.google.com/books?id=1k5fV_hQqE8C&pg=PA87 | url-status =live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.peregrinefund.org/subsites/explore-raptors-2001/vultures/turkevul.html |title=Turkey Vulture |publisher=Peregrinefund.org |access-date=2012-01-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120102231749/http://www.peregrinefund.org/subsites/explore-raptors-2001/vultures/turkevul.html |archive-date=2012-01-02 }}</ref><ref>Poole, E. L. (1938). ''Weights and wing areas in North American birds''. The Auk, 55(3), 511-517.</ref> Birds in the northern limit of the species' range average larger in size than the vulture from the neotropics. 124 birds from Florida averaged {{convert|2|kg|lb|abbr=on}} while 65 and 130 birds from Venezuela were found to average {{convert|1.22|and|1.45|kg|lb|abbr=on}}, respectively.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |url=http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Turkey_Vulture/lifehistory |title=Turkey Vulture, Life History, All About Birds — Cornell Lab of Ornithology |publisher=Allaboutbirds.org |access-date=2009-12-24 |archive-date=2020-06-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603190246/https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Turkey_Vulture/lifehistory |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>''Raptors of the World'' by Ferguson-Lees, Christie, Franklin, Mead & Burton. Houghton Mifflin (2001). {{ISBN|0-618-12762-3}}</ref><ref name = "CRC">''CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses, 2nd Edition'' (2008). John B. Dunning Jr. (Editor). CRC Press. {{ISBN|978-1-4200-6444-5}}.</ref> It displays minimal sexual dimorphism; sexes are identical in plumage and in coloration, and are similar in size.<ref>{{cite journal | last =Hill | first =N. P. | title =Sexual Dimorphism in the Falconiformes | journal =Auk | volume =61 | issue =April | pages =228–234 | year =1944 | url =http://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v061n02/p0228-p0234.pdf | access-date =2007-10-14 | doi =10.2307/4079366 | jstor =4079366 | archive-date =2016-03-04 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160304213659/http://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v061n02/p0228-p0234.pdf | url-status =live }}</ref> The body feathers are mostly brownish-black, but the flight feathers on the wings appear to be silvery-gray beneath, contrasting with the darker wing linings.<ref name="Hilty"/> The adult's head is small in proportion to its body and is red in color with few to no feathers. It also has a relatively short, hooked, ivory-colored beak.<ref name="Terres">{{cite book| last =Terres| first =J. K.| author-link =John Kenneth Terres| title =The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds| publisher =Knopf| year =1980| location =New York, NY| page =[https://archive.org/details/audubonsocietyen00terr/page/959 959]| isbn =0-394-46651-9| url =https://archive.org/details/audubonsocietyen00terr/page/959}}</ref> The irises of the eyes are gray-brown; legs and feet are pink-skinned, although typically stained white. The eye has a single incomplete row of eyelashes on the upper lid and two rows on the lower lid.<ref name="Pterylosis">{{Cite journal| last = Fisher| first = Harvey I.| title = The Pterylosis of the Andean Condor | journal = Condor| volume=44 |issue=1 |pages = 30–32| date = February 1942| doi = 10.2307/1364195| jstor = 1364195| publisher = Cooper Ornithological Society| url = https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/condor/vol44/iss1/6}}</ref>
The two front toes of the foot are long and have small webs at their bases.<ref name="Feduccia"/> Tracks are large, between {{Convert|9.5|and|14|cm|abbr = on}} in length and {{Convert|8.2|and|10.2|cm|abbr = on}} in width, both measurements including claw marks. Toes are arranged in the classic, anisodactyl pattern.<ref name="Elbroch">{{cite book | last =Elbroch | first =Mark | title =Bird Tracks & Sign | publisher =Stackpole Books | year =2001 | location =Mechanicsburg, PA | page =456 | isbn = 0-8117-2696-7}}</ref> The feet are flat, relatively weak, and poorly adapted to grasping; the talons are also not designed for grasping, as they are relatively blunt.<ref name="Concise"/> In flight, the tail is long and slim. The black vulture is relatively shorter-tailed and shorter-winged, which makes it appear rather smaller in flight than the turkey vulture, although the body masses of the two species are roughly the same. The nostrils are not divided by a septum, but rather are perforate; from the side one can see through the beak.<ref>{{cite book| last =Allaby| first =Michael| title =The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Zoology| publisher =Oxford University Press| year =1992| location =Oxford, UK| page =[https://archive.org/details/conciseoxforddic00alla/page/348 348]| isbn =0-19-286093-3| url =https://archive.org/details/conciseoxforddic00alla/page/348}}</ref> It undergoes a molt in late winter to early spring. It is a gradual molt, which lasts until early autumn.<ref name="Fergus"/> The immature bird has a gray head with a black beak tip; the colors change to those of the adult as the bird matures.<ref>{{cite web | title =Turkey Vulture | publisher =Cornell Lab of Ornithology | year =2003 | url =https://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Turkey_Vulture_dtl.html | access-date =2007-09-30 | archive-date =2007-08-14 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20070814112915/http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Turkey_Vulture_dtl.html | url-status =live }}</ref>
Captive longevity is not well known. As of 2025, there is one captive bird which is 51 years<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lindsay Wildlife announcing 51st birthday on Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DL8D_Duypbh/ |access-date=2025-11-07 |website=www.instagram.com}}</ref> old: a male named Lord Richard that lives at the Lindsay Wildlife Experience in Walnut Creek, California. Lord Richard hatched in 1974 at Randall Museum in San Francisco and arrived at Lindsay Wildlife later that year.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Jim Taylor |author2=Greg Wong |title=Maybe US' oldest turkey vulture celebrates birthday in East Bay |url=https://www.audacy.com/kcbsradio/news/local/one-of-us-oldest-turkey-vultures-has-birthday-in-east-bay |access-date=2023-06-12 |date=2022-07-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612200825/https://www.audacy.com/kcbsradio/news/local/one-of-us-oldest-turkey-vultures-has-birthday-in-east-bay |archive-date=2023-06-12 |url-status=live}}</ref> Another turkey vulture named Nero lived to the age of 47. Nero also hatched in 1974 and was taken from his nest for research studies at the University of Wisconsin. He later became an education ambassador at Carpenter Nature Center in Hastings, Minnesota, and in 1993 he joined the education department of the University of Minnesota's Raptor Center. He remained their only educational vulture until his death in 2022.<ref>{{cite web |title=In memory of Nero |date=9 May 2022 |url=https://raptor.umn.edu/about-us/news/memory-nero |publisher=The Raptor Center |access-date=2023-06-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322052420/https://raptor.umn.edu/about-us/news/memory-nero |archive-date=2023-03-22 |url-status=live}}</ref>
The oldest wild captured banded bird was 16 years old.<ref name="ADW"/>
Leucistic (sometimes mistakenly called "albino") turkey vultures are sometimes seen.<ref name= BNA>{{Cite book | last1 =Kirk | first1 =D. A. | last2 =Mossman | first2 =M. J. | contribution =Turkey Vulture (''Cathartes aura'') | year =1998 | title =The Birds of North America | editor-last =A. Poole and F. Gill | volume =339 | place=Philadelphia, PA. | publisher =The Birds of North America, Inc.}}</ref><ref>Golden Gate Raptor Observatory. ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20071020003018/http://ggro.org/rare-raptors.html Rare Raptors]''. Retrieved 2007-09-17.</ref>
Like most other vultures, the turkey vulture has very few vocalization capabilities. Because it lacks a syrinx, it can only utter hisses and grunts.<ref name="Miskimen"/> <gallery mode = packed heights = 160px> Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) in flight.JPG|Antillean turkey vulture<br>''C. a. aura'', Cuba Eastern Turkey Vulture in flight, Canada.jpg|Eastern turkey vulture<br>''C. a. septentrionalis'', Canada Chilean turkey vulture (Cathartes aura jota) in flight Maipo.jpg|Chilean turkey vulture<br>''C. a. jota'', Chile </gallery>
== Ecology and behavior == thumb|thumbtime=82|Turkey vultures coming in to the same roost they use for the season.The turkey vulture is gregarious and roosts in large community groups, breaking away to forage independently during the day. Several hundred vultures may roost communally in groups, which sometimes even include black vultures. It roosts often on dead, leafless trees as well as low-density conifers, and will also roost on man-made structures such as water or microwave towers. Though it nests in caves, it does not enter them except during the breeding season.<ref name="Fergus"/> The turkey vulture lowers its night-time body temperature by about {{convert|6|C-change|disp=or}} to {{convert|34|C|F}}, becoming slightly hypothermic.<ref name="Feduccia">{{cite book | last =Feduccia | first =J. Alan | title =The Origin and Evolution of Birds | publisher =Yale University Press | year =1999 | page =116 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=8QRKV7eSqmIC&pg=PA300 | isbn =0-226-05641-4 | access-date =2020-08-27 | archive-date =2021-08-10 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20210810180223/https://books.google.com/books?id=8QRKV7eSqmIC&pg=PA300 | url-status =live }}</ref>thumb|Adult bird in horaltic poseThis vulture is often seen standing in a spread-winged or horaltic stance. The stance is believed to serve multiple functions: drying the wings, warming the body, and baking off bacteria. It is practiced more often following damp or rainy nights. This same behavior is displayed by other New World vultures, by Old World vultures, and by storks.<ref name="snyder"/> Like storks, 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 urohidrosis.<ref>{{cite web |last = Ridenhou |first = Larry |title = NCA – Turkey Vulture |work = Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area | publisher = Bureau of Land Management |url = http://www.birdsofprey.blm.gov/nat-res/tv.htm |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070502095446/http://www.birdsofprey.blm.gov/nat-res/tv.htm |archive-date = 2007-05-02 |access-date = 2006-12-17}}</ref> It cools the blood vessels in the unfeathered tarsi and feet, and causes white uric acid to streak the legs.<ref>{{cite book | last =Gordon | first =Malcolm S. | title =Animal Physiology: Principles and Adaptations | publisher =Macmillan | year =1977 | page =357 | isbn =978-0-02-345360-1 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=G7o0AAAAMAAJ | access-date =2020-08-27 | archive-date =2021-07-28 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20210728021405/https://books.google.com/books?id=G7o0AAAAMAAJ | url-status =live }}</ref> The turkey vulture has few natural predators and the few recorded predators appear to take them quite infrequently. Fledging, immature and adult vultures, in descending likelihood of predation, may fall prey to great horned owls, golden eagles, bald eagles and potentially red-tailed hawks, while eggs and nestlings may be preyed on by mammals such as raccoons and opossums.<ref name="snyder"/><ref name="animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu">{{cite web |url=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cathartes_aura.html |title=ADW: ''Cathartes aura'': Information |publisher=Animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu |date=2009-12-20 |access-date=2009-12-24 |archive-date=2004-04-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040417174908/http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Cathartes_aura.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Coleman | first1 = J. S. | last2 = Fraser | first2 = J.D. | year = 1986 | title = Predation on black and turkey vultures | journal = Wilson Bulletin | volume = 98 | pages = 600–601}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Stolen | first1 = E. D. | year = 1996 | title = Black and turkey vulture interactions with bald eagles in Florida | journal = Florida Field Naturalist | volume = 24 | pages = 43–45}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Evens | first1 = J.G. | year = 1991 | title = Golden eagle attacks turkey vulture | journal = Northwest. Nat. | volume = 72 | page = 27}}</ref> Foxes can occasionally ambush an adult, but species that can climb are more likely to breach and predate nests than adults, while dogs may sometimes kill a turkey vulture as well.<ref name= Jackson>Jackson, J. A. (1983). Nesting phenology, nest site selection, and reproductive success of the Black and Turkey vulture. ''Vulture biology and management.'' (Wilbur, S. R. and J. A. Jackson, Eds.) Univ. of California Press, Berkeley, CA. pp.245-270.</ref> Its primary form of defense is regurgitating semi-digested meat, a foul-smelling substance, which deters most creatures intent on raiding a vulture nest.<ref name="Fergus">{{cite book |author = Fergus, Charles |title = Wildlife of Virginia and Maryland Washington D.C. |publisher = Stackpole Books |page = 171 |year = 2003 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=W7UxSPd2XMAC |isbn = 0-8117-2821-8 |access-date = 2020-08-27 |archive-date = 2021-07-28 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210728021403/https://books.google.com/books?id=W7UxSPd2XMAC |url-status = live }}</ref> 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 to take flight to flee from a potential predator.<ref name="Terres"/> Its life expectancy in the wild ranges upward of 16 years, with a captive life span of over 45 years being possible.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://vulturesociety.homestead.com/QandA.html |title=QandA |publisher=Vulturesociety.homestead.com |access-date=2012-08-13 |archive-date=2012-06-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622235543/http://vulturesociety.homestead.com/QandA.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080131235433/http://www.raptorrehab.org/raptors/tv.htm Turkey Vulture (''Cathartes aura'')]. raptorrehab.org</ref><ref name="Turkey Vulture: Nero">{{cite web|url=https://raptor.umn.edu/about-raptors/meet-our-birds/nero|title=Turkey Vulture: Nero|publisher=University of Minnesota|access-date=May 13, 2020|archive-date=August 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822180218/https://raptor.umn.edu/about-raptors/meet-our-birds/nero|url-status=live}}</ref>
The turkey vulture is awkward on the ground with an ungainly, hopping walk. It requires a great deal of effort to take flight, flapping its wings while pushing off the ground and hopping with its feet.<ref name="Terres"/> While soaring, the turkey vulture holds its wings in a shallow V-shape and often tips from side to side, frequently causing the gray flight feathers to appear silvery as they catch the light. The flight of the turkey vulture is an example of static soaring flight, in which it flaps its wings very infrequently, and takes advantage of rising thermals to stay soaring.<ref name="USGS"> {{cite web | title =Turkey vulture, ''Cathartes aura'' | publisher =U.S. Geological Survey | url =https://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i3250id.html | access-date =2007-09-30 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20071015200645/http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i3250id.html | archive-date =2007-10-15 }} </ref>
=== Breeding === The breeding season of the turkey vulture varies according to latitude.<ref>{{cite book|author-link=Maurice Burton|author=Burton, Maurice|author2=Burton, Robert|year=2002|title=The International Wildlife Encyclopedia|edition=third|publisher=Marshall Cavendish|volume=20|page=[https://archive.org/details/internationalwil20burt0/page/2788 2788]|isbn=0-7614-7286-X|url=https://archive.org/details/internationalwil20burt0/page/2788}}</ref> In the southern United States, it commences in March, peaks in April to May, and continues into June.<ref name="Georgia">{{cite web |title = Species Description: Turkey Vulture (''Cathartes aura'') |publisher = Georgia Museum of Natural History |url = http://dromus.nhm.uga.edu/~GMNH/gawildlife/index.php?page=speciespages/species_page&key=caura |access-date = 2007-10-14 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090619063859/http://dromus.nhm.uga.edu/~GMNH/gawildlife/index.php?page=speciespages%2Fspecies_page&key=caura |archive-date = 2009-06-19 }}</ref> In more northerly latitudes, the season starts later and extends into August.<ref>{{cite web |title=Turkey Vulture (''Cathartes aura'')|url=http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/tasb/legsregs/fpc/fpcguide/other/species/species-16.htm|publisher=Government of British Columbia |access-date=2011-12-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714141858/http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/tasb/legsregs/fpc/fpcguide/other/species/species-16.htm|archive-date=2014-07-14}}</ref> Courtship rituals of the turkey vulture involve several individuals gathering in a circle, where they perform hopping movements around the perimeter of the circle with wings partially spread. In the air, one bird closely follows another while flapping and diving.<ref name="Kaufman">{{cite book| last =Kaufman| first =Kenn| title =Lives of North American Birds| publisher =Houghton Mifflin Field Guides| year =1996| page =112| url =https://books.google.com/books?id=JhJwsTkYkoIC&pg=PA112| isbn =0-618-15988-6| access-date =2020-08-27| archive-date =2021-07-28| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20210728021406/https://books.google.com/books?id=JhJwsTkYkoIC&pg=PA112| url-status =live}}</ref>
thumb|One chick immediately hatched and one egg not yet hatched Eggs are generally laid in the nesting site in a protected location such as a cliff, a cave, a rock crevice, a burrow, inside a hollow tree, or in a thicket. There is little or no construction of a nest; eggs are laid on a bare surface. Females generally lay two eggs, but sometimes one and rarely three. Turkey vulture eggs measure {{Convert|6.5–7.5|cm|in|abbr=on}} in length and {{Convert|4.4–5.3|cm|in|abbr=on}} in width.<ref name=":1" /> The eggs are cream-colored, with brown or lavender spots around their larger end.<ref name="Kaufman"/> Both parents incubate, and the young hatch after 30 to 40 days. Chicks are altricial, or helpless at birth. Both adults feed the chicks by regurgitating food for them, and care for them for 10 to 11 weeks. When adults are threatened while nesting, they may flee, or they may regurgitate on the intruder or feign death.<ref name="Fergus"/> If the chicks are threatened in the nest, they defend themselves by hissing and regurgitating.<ref name="Kaufman"/> The young fledge at about nine to ten weeks. Family groups remain together until fall.<ref name="Kaufman"/>
=== Feeding === The turkey vulture feeds primarily on a wide variety of carrion, from small mammals (such as mice and shrews) to large grazers (such as ungulates), preferring those recently dead, and avoiding carcasses that have reached the point of putrefaction.<ref name=BOW>{{cite journal | url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/turvul/cur/foodhabits | title=Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), version 1.0 | journal=Birds of the World | date=2020 | last1=Kirk | first1=David A. | last2=Mossman | first2=Michael J. | doi=10.2173/bow.turvul.01 | url-access=subscription }}</ref> They may rarely feed on plant matter, shoreline vegetation, pumpkin, grape, juniper, coconut and other crops, live frogs, live insects and other invertebrates.<ref name="Kaufman"/><ref>{{cite journal|jstor=4159747|author=Crafts, Roger C. Jr.|title=Turkey Vultures Found to Feed on Coconut|journal=Wilson Bulletin|volume=80|issue=3|pages=327–328|year=1968|url=https://sora.unm.edu/node/128502|access-date=2015-03-25|archive-date=2015-04-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402143229/https://sora.unm.edu/node/128502|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=BOW/> Turkey vultures have also been observed eating coyote, sea lion and domestic animal dung.<ref name="BOW" /> In South America, turkey vultures have been photographed feeding on the fruits of the introduced oil palm.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Pinto, O. M. O.|title=Dos frutos da palmeira Elaeis guineensis na dieta de ''Cathartes aura ruficollis''|journal=Hornero|volume=8|pages=276–277|year=1965|issue=3 |doi=10.56178/eh.v10i3.1325 |s2cid=83029202 |doi-access=free|hdl=20.500.12110/hornero_v010_n03_p276|hdl-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author1=Galetti, Mauro |author2=Guimarães, Paulo R. Jr. |date=2004|name-list-style=amp |title=Seed dispersal of ''Attalea phalerata'' (Palmae) by Crested caracaras (''Caracara plancus'') in the Pantanal and a review of frugivory by raptors |journal=Ararajuba |volume=12 |issue=2 |pages=133–135 |url=http://www.ararajuba.org.br/sbo/ararajuba/artigos/Volume122/ara122not1.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101127063439/http://www.ararajuba.org.br/sbo/ararajuba/artigos/Volume122/ara122not1.pdf |archive-date=2010-11-27 }}</ref><ref>Souza, J. S. (2012). [http://www.wikiaves.com/794679 WA794679, ''Cathartes aura'' (Linnaeus, 1758)] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130412041652/http://www.wikiaves.com/794679 |date=2013-04-12 }}. ''Wiki Aves – A Enciclopédia das Aves do Brasil''. Retrieved February 14, 2013</ref> <gallery mode="packed" heights="140"> File:Turkey Vulture feeding.jpg|Feeding on a dead gull at Morro Bay, California File:Turkey Vulture stalks, catches and eats live garter snake (30570944315).jpg|Eating a live garter snake File:Tropical Turkey Vulture, Treinta y Tres Department, Uruguay imported from iNaturalist photo 174431143.jpg|Tropical turkey vulture (''C. a. ruficollis'') eating an Argentine black and white tegu. File:Turkey Vulture, Waterloo Regional Municipality, ON, Canada imported from iNaturalist photo 183784250.jpg|Eating a raccoon, in Ontario </gallery> They rarely, if ever, kill prey themselves; when they do it tends to comprise small weak offspring or very sick individuals of various animals, such as bird eggs and nestlings, as well as reptiles.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-species/vultures/turkey-vulture | title=Turkey Vulture | the Peregrine Fund }}</ref><ref name="Kritcher">{{cite book |last=Kritcher |first=John C. |title=A Neotropical Companion |publisher=Princeton University Press |year=1999 |page=286 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z3pgdvrSmG8C |isbn=0-691-00974-0 |access-date=2020-08-27 |archive-date=2016-11-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161115175944/https://books.google.com/books?id=Z3pgdvrSmG8C&hl=en |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cathartes_aura/ |title=Cathartes aura (Turkey vulture) |website=Animal Diversity Web |access-date=2022-06-14 |archive-date=2020-06-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200623094236/https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cathartes_aura/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Ferguson-Lees, J. 2001">Ferguson-Lees, J. & Christie, D.A. & Franklin, K. & Mead, D. & Burton, P.. (2001). Raptors of the world. Helm Identification Guides.</ref>
{{Easy CSS image crop|Image=Turkey Vultures eating road kill - Sarah Stierch 02.jpg|desired_width=250|align=right|caption=Eating roadkill deer|crop_left_perc=15|crop_right_perc=25|crop_top_perc=10|crop_bottom_perc=25}} thumb|Black vulture (left) and turkey vulture (right), in Brazil The turkey vulture can often be seen along roadsides feeding on roadkill, or near bodies of water, feeding on washed-up fish.<ref name="ADW" /> They also will feed on fish, tadpoles or insects that have become stranded in shallow water.<ref name="Fergus" /><ref name="BOW" /> It sometimes comes to rubbish dumps, but in general, is a rather different kind of scavenger from the black vulture.<ref name="Ferguson-Lees, J. 2001" /> Like other vultures, it plays an important role in the ecosystem by disposing of carrion, which would otherwise be a breeding ground for disease.<ref name="cotton" />
The turkey vulture forages by smell, an ability that is uncommon in the avian world, often flying low to the ground to pick up the scent of ethyl mercaptan, a gas produced by the beginnings of decay in dead animals.<ref name="snyder" /> The olfactory lobe of its brain, responsible for processing smells, is particularly large compared to that of other animals.<ref name="snyder">{{cite book | author1=Snyder, Noel F. R. | author2=Helen Snyder | name-list-style=amp | title =Raptors of North America: Natural History and Conservation | publisher =Voyageur Press | page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780760325827/page/40 40] | year =2006 | url= https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780760325827 | url-access=registration | isbn = 0-7603-2582-0}}</ref> This heightened ability to detect odors allows it to search for carrion below the forest canopy. King vultures, black vultures, and condors, which lack the ability to smell carrion at long distances, follow turkey vultures to carcasses. While other members of family ''Cathartidae'' were once believed to have no sense of smell,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bent |first=Arthur C. |title=Life Histories of North American Birds of Prey: Part I |date=1937 |publisher=U.S. National Museum |series=Bulletin 137 |pages=22–38}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Houston |first=David C. |date=1984 |title=Does the king vulture Sarcorhampus papa use a sense of smell to locate food? |url=https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1474-919X.1984.tb03665.x |journal=Ibis |volume=126 |issue=1 |pages=67–69 |doi=10.1111/j.1474-919X.1984.tb03665.x |url-access=subscription }}</ref> newer research suggests they are able to smell at short distances.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Santos |first1=Larissa H. |last2=Santos |first2=Carlos D. |last3=Da Silva |first3=Maria L. |date=2022 |title=The limits of olfactory perception in black vultures: a field experiment |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/03949370.2022.2062617 |journal=Ethology Ecology & Evolution |volume=35 |issue=3 |pages=340–347 |doi=10.1080/03949370.2022.2062617 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Slater |first1=Melissa Nelson |last2=Hauber |first2=Mark E. |date=2016 |title=Olfactory enrichment and scent cue associative learning in captive birds of prey |url=https://doi.org/10.1002/zoo.21353 |journal=Zoo Biology |volume=36 |issue=2 |pages=99–171 |doi=10.1002/zoo.21353 |pmid=28198048 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>
The turkey vulture arrives first at the carcass, or with greater yellow-headed vultures or lesser yellow-headed vultures, which also share the ability to smell carrion.<ref name="snyder" /> It displaces the yellow-headed vultures from carcasses due to its larger size,<ref name="cotton">{{cite journal |author1=Gomez, LG |author2=Houston, DC |author3=Cotton, P |author4=Tye, A |title=The role of greater yellow-headed vultures Cathartes melambrotus as scavengers in neotropical forest |journal=Ibis |volume=136 |issue=2 |pages=193–196 |year=1994 |url=http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.php?requester=gs&collection=ENV&recid=3646491&q=Cathartes+melambrotus&uid=791396595&setcookie=yes |access-date=2016-11-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216095012/http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.php?requester=gs&collection=ENV&recid=3646491&q=Cathartes%2Bmelambrotus&uid=791396595&setcookie=yes |archive-date=2009-02-16 |doi=10.1111/j.1474-919X.1994.tb01084.x |bibcode=1994Ibis..136..193G |url-access=subscription }}</ref> but is displaced in turn by the king vulture and both types of condor, which make the first cut into the skin of the dead animal. This allows the smaller, weaker-billed turkey vulture access to food, because it cannot tear the tough hides of larger animals on its own. This is an example of mutual dependence between species.<ref name="Dietland">{{cite book | last =Muller-Schwarze | first =Dietland | title =Chemical Ecology of Vertebrates | publisher =Cambridge University Press | page =350 | year =2006 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=HaaFlUw4goIC&pg=PA1 | isbn =0-521-36377-2 | access-date =2020-08-27 | archive-date =2021-07-28 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20210728021404/https://books.google.com/books?id=HaaFlUw4goIC&pg=PA1 | url-status =live }}</ref> Black vultures tend to be more aggressive and often displace turkey vultures which appear to be intimidated especially by the feeding frenzy engaged in by the black vultures when they come in numbers (a behavior turkey vultures are apparently incapable of even when at a carcass in numbers), however pairs or individuals often seem to be able to peaceably share carrion with turkey vultures.<ref>Stewart, P. A. (1978). ''Behavioral interactions and niche separation in Black and Turkey Vultures''. Living Bird 17:79–84.</ref><ref>Buckley, N. J. (1994). ''Communal roosting in vultures and the part played by information exchange in the evolution of avian coloniality''. Phd Thesis, Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK.</ref> However, in the tropics such as Peru, turkey vultures appeared to prevail regularly over black vultures, in 56% of cases, perhaps due to the smaller size of the region's black vultures.<ref name="Wallace">Wallace, M. P., and S. A. Temple (1987). ''Competitive interactions within and between species in a guild of avian scavengers''. Auk 104:290–295.</ref> It is further subservient to large hawks such as red-tailed hawks, Harris's hawks and ''Buteogallus'' black hawks, as well as to large falcons like peregrine falcons and crested caracaras, despite most of these birds being rather smaller in body size than a turkey vulture. Often these raptors tend to engage in dive-bombing or other intimidation displays towards the vulture(s) to displace them from carrion or from perch sites. Presumably all sympatric eagles are also dominant, with bald eagles confirmed to easily dominate turkey vultures in Florida.<ref name="BNA" /><ref name="Wallace" /><ref>Buckley, N. J. (1996). ''Food finding and the influence of information, local enhancement, and communal roosting on foraging success of North American vultures''. Auk 113:473–488.</ref><ref>Bird, D. M. and Y. Aubry. (1982). ''Reproductive and hunting behavior in Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus, in southern Quebec''. Canadian Field-Naturalist 96:167-171.</ref> However, in the tropics Swainson's hawks and yellow-headed caracara (as well as lesser yellow-headed vultures) appear to be subservient to turkey vultures.<ref name="BNA" /><ref>Smith, N. G. (1980c). ''Hawk and vulture migrations in the neotropics.'' In Migrant birds in the neotropics: ecology, behavior, distribution, and conservation., edited by A. Keast and E. S. Morton, 51-65. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Inst. Press.</ref> Furthermore, turkey vultures are dominant over crows at carrion, but not over common ravens.<ref>Prior, K. A. and P. J. Weatherhead. (1991a). ''Competition at the carcass - opportunities for social foraging by Turkey Vultures in southern Ontario''. Canadian Journal of Zoology 69 (6):1550-1556.</ref>
== Relationship with humans == upright|thumb|right|A side view, showing the perforated nostrils The turkey vulture is sometimes accused of carrying anthrax or hog cholera, both livestock diseases, on its feet or bill by cattle ranchers and is therefore occasionally perceived as a threat.<ref name= BNA/> However, the virus that causes hog cholera is destroyed when it passes through the turkey vulture's digestive tract.<ref name="Terres"/> This species also may be perceived as a threat by farmers due to the similar black vulture's tendency to attack and kill newborn cattle. The turkey vulture does not kill live animals but will mix with flocks of black vultures and will scavenge what they leave behind. Nonetheless, its appearance at a location where a calf has been killed gives the incorrect impression that the turkey vulture represents a danger to calves.<ref>{{cite web |last = Paulik |first = Laurie |title = Vultures and Livestock |publisher = AgNIC Wildlife Damage Management Web |date = 2007-08-06 |url = http://lib.colostate.edu/research/agnic/birds/vultures/vulturesandlivestock.html |access-date = 2007-10-15 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070808025752/http://lib.colostate.edu/research/agnic/birds/vultures/vulturesandlivestock.html |archive-date = 2007-08-08 }}</ref> The droppings produced by turkey vultures and other vultures can harm or kill trees and other vegetation.<ref>{{cite web | last =Paulik | first =Laurie | title =Vultures | publisher =AgNIC Wildlife Damage Management Web | date =2007-08-06 | url =http://lib.colostate.edu/research/agnic/birds/vultures/index.html | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20070804003554/http://lib.colostate.edu/research/agnic/birds/vultures/index.html | archive-date =2007-08-04 | access-date = 2007-10-15}}</ref> In captivity, it can be fed fresh meat, and younger birds will gorge themselves if given the opportunity.<ref name="Terres"/>
Contaminants and pollutants generated from human activity pose health risks to turkey vultures and may impact brood success, fertility, and individual health. Turkey vultures are susceptible to lead poisoning due to the ingestion of meat killed by hunters using lead pellet ammunition.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wright |first=Sylvia |date=2011-04-06 |title=Two new studies link hunting to lead in scavenger birds |url=https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/two-new-studies-link-hunting-lead-scavenger-birds |website=University of California, Davis}}</ref> When the bird ingests the lead pellets within the carrion it leaches toxic lead into their bodies. Even at low contamination, lead exposure is linked to disease, neurological damage and reproductive failure.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-14 |title=Lead ammunition: A lethal threat to vulture populations |url=https://4vultures.org/blog/lead-ammunition-a-lethal-threat-to-vulture-populations/ |website=Vulture Conservation Foundation}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Plaza |first1=Pablo I. |last2=Lambertucci |first2=Sergio A. |date=2019 |title=What do we know about lead contamination in wild vultures and condors? A review of decades of research |journal=The Science of the Total Environment |volume=654 |pages=409–417 |doi=10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.099 |pmid=30447579|bibcode=2019ScTEn.654..409P |hdl=11336/121851 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>
The turkey vulture species receives special legal protections under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 in the United States,<ref name="FWS">{{cite web | title =Birds Protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act | publisher =US Fish & Wildlife Service | url =http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/intrnltr/mbta/mbtandx.html | access-date =2007-10-14 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071010020817/http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/intrnltr/mbta/mbtandx.html| archive-date = October 10, 2007}}</ref> by the Convention for the Protection of Migratory Birds in Canada,<ref name="cornell2">{{cite web | title =Game and Wild Birds: Preservation | work =US Code Collection | publisher =Cornell Law School | url =https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/search/display.html?terms=Mexico%20+%20bird&url=/uscode/html/uscode16/usc_sec_16_00000701----000-notes.html | access-date =2007-10-29 | archive-date =2020-01-10 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20200110215450/https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/search/display.html%3Fterms%3DMexico%2520%2B%2520bird%26url%3D/uscode/html/uscode16/usc_sec_16_00000701----000-notes.html | url-status =live }}</ref> and by the Convention for the Protection of Migratory Birds and Game Mammals in Mexico.<ref name="cornell2"/> In the United States it is illegal to take, kill, or possess turkey vultures, their eggs, and any body parts including but not limited to their feathers except under permit; violation of the law is punishable by a fine of up to $100,000 for individuals or $200,000 for organizations, and/or a prison term of 1 year.<ref name="cornell">{{cite web |title = Migratory Bird Treaty Act |work = US Code Collection |publisher = Cornell Law School |url = https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/16/chapter-7/subchapter-II |access-date = 2007-10-14 |archive-date = 2012-04-24 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120424023246/http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/16/chapter-7/subchapter-II |url-status = live }}</ref> It is listed as a species of least concern by the IUCN Red List. Populations appear to remain stable, and it has not reached the threshold of inclusion as a threatened species, which requires a decline of more than 30 percent in 10 years or three generations.<ref name="iucn status 11 November 2021" /> {{Clear}}
== References ==
=== Notes === {{Reflist|30em}}
=== Bibliography === * Ffrench,<!--not "French"--> R. ''Birds of Trinidad and Tobago''. {{ISBN|0-7136-6759-1}} * Stiles and Skutch. ''A guide to the birds of Costa Rica''. {{ISBN|0-8014-9600-4}} * Kirk, D. A. and M. J. Mossman. 1998. "Turkey Vulture (''Cathartes aura'')". In ''The Birds of North America'', No. 339 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.
== External links == {{Commons category|Cathartes aura|Turkey vulture}} {{Wikispecies|Cathartes aura}} {{wikt}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090224135544/http://enature.com/fieldguides/detail.asp?allSpecies=y&searchText=turkey&curGroupID=1&lgfromWhere=&curPageNum=1 Turkey vultures] on eNature.com * {{InternetBirdCollection|turkey-vulture-cathartes-aura|Turkey vulture}} * [http://www.birdphotos.com/photos/index.php?q=gallery&g2_itemId=26050 Uncommon light morph turkey vulture photo] * {{VIREO|turkey+vulture|Turkey vulture}} * [http://www.radford.edu/rsheehy/vulture/ Live Streaming of a Vulture Feeding Station] at Selu Conservancy, Radford, Virginia.
{{Vulture}} {{Taxonbar |from=Q245181}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Animal taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Category:Birds described in 1758 Category:Birds of prey of the Americas Category:Birds of the United States Category:Cathartes Category:Extant Pleistocene first appearances Category:Least concern biota of the United States Category:New World vultures