If there is a Rodney Dangerfield of raptors, you could argue the Turkey Vulture is it. With a face only a mother could love, they are not particularly good looking and don’t get much respect in comparison to other birds.
However I find them fascinating and overall just pretty darned cool. With a massive six foot wingspan they are very large and oftentimes mistaken for eagles or hawks when seen soaring.
You will often see them high in the sky in large groups – appropriately called a ‘wake’ – looking for their next meal. They feed on carrion they find lying around dead like rabbits, prairie dogs and such and are believed to be able to smell the dead animals up to a mile away.
These vultures were part of a large group hanging out at Golden Ponds in Longmont, Colorado a couple of months ago. It was a lot of fun watching them as they put on a show.
