“wild turkey vs turkey vulture” – Turkey vultures and wild turkeys, despite their similar names, are two completely different birds with distinct biological and behavioral characteristics. Our curiosity and love for nature led us to our first observations of the turkey vulture, a scavenger bird with an impressive appearance and behavior.
From seeing them soaring in the sky to taking close-up photos, this journey has opened our eyes to many interesting things about the world of turkey vultures. Let’s find out about wild turkey vs turkey vulture with birdsofjoy.com.
Initial observations of turkey vultures
More time passed. We knew that turkey vultures occasionally roosted in small groups, but they were still too far away for our cameras to capture clearly. This photo was a bit of a ‘find Waldo’ puzzle. How many turkey vultures can you see?
A better camera would have allowed us to see the dark brown bodies, featherless red heads and pale beaks of turkey vultures.
Last year, after an unfortunate collision between a deer and a car, turkey vultures found a deer carcass in a ditch. While dozens of turkey vultures fought over the spoils, others took turns sunning themselves on a nearby tree, giving us the opportunity to capture both dorsal and ventral views. You can see the long “fingers” on their wing tips and their long tails that extend past their feet while in flight. Turkey vultures appear black from a distance, but up close you can see they are dark brown. It seems two-toned because the undersides of the flight feathers are lighter than the uppersides, which contrast with the mostly dark body and forewings.
The presence of wild turkeys
We had similar (but different) challenges getting a good photo of the wild turkeys at our cabin, which proved to be nature’s ultimate camouflage. We often saw wild turkeys grazing in the fields on the way to the cabin, and we knew what they were, but from the car they were nothing more than dark specks in the distance. Occasionally a turkey would cross the road and we had to brake to avoid a collision, but holding the camera often resulted in a photo that seemed to show the bushes along the roadside. In this second “find Waldo” moment, is there a wild turkey visible?
It was only while walking that Bruce was able to get this photo of the wild turkeys on the side of the road, not in the bushes. A few seconds after taking this photo, they disappeared into the woods.
What is Wild Turkey?
Native to North America, these birds are ground-dwellers not unlike our domesticated turkeys. Their feathers are black or dark gray with a bronze sheen, and they have knobs or caruncles on their heads. They have three normal-sized toes in front and a smaller fourth toe pointing toward the back. Males are larger and stronger than females, and they also have a distinctive spur on the back of their hind legs.
Common areas to find wild turkeys include forests with both conifers and hardwoods, as well as agricultural areas, swamps, and grasslands. They can also make a variety of noises, including clucking, purring, gobbling, yelping, whining, kee-keeing, and putting.
While adult male wild turkeys average 37.1 pounds, they are surprisingly agile and fast flyers. They have excellent daytime vision but poor night vision, making them vulnerable to predators. They are omnivores that can be seen climbing bushes and small trees as well as hunting on the ground, and they eat a wide variety of foods, including nuts, seeds, roots, and even insects and small reptiles.
Wild turkeys are not only an important part of the ecosystem, but are also an important cultural component for many Native American tribes as the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving feast. The Eastern wild turkey, Osceola wild turkey, Rio Grande wild turkey, Merriam wild turkey, Gould wild turkey, and Southern Mexican wild turkey are all subspecies of wild turkey.
What is a Turkey Vulture?
This carrion-eating bird is widely distributed throughout southern Canada and South America, where it has a variety of common names. The body feathers of this bird range from dark brown to black, and its flight feathers are silvery gray. Adults have a red head that is much smaller than the rest of the body and is featherless.
Grasslands, scrublands, subtropical forests, and deserts are typical habitats for this species. As a scavenger, the turkey vulture primarily feeds on carrion. This bird locates dead animals by flying low and using its keen sense of sight and smell. However, unlike birds, it lacks a syrinx and can only make low hissing and growling sounds when communicating.
There are not many predators in the wild, so you can always find them nesting in dense bushes, caves, or hollow trees. There are five distinct species of turkey vulture: C. a. aura, C. a. jota, C. a. meridionalis, C. a. ruficollis and C. a. septentrionalis.
Conclusion
Through observations and hands-on experiences, we have gained a deeper insight into the turkey vulture, a unique and mysterious bird. Although they are not as beautiful as many other birds, their important role in the ecosystem and their unique characteristics make them valuable and interesting. The presence of turkey vultures in the wild is a testament to the richness and diversity of wildlife, and every encounter with this bird is an unforgettable experience.
