Turkey vulture


 

Above two photos by Jan Hein Ribot at Zanderij (J.A. Pengel airport) in 2006 and one by Erik Toorman in Coronie, Suriname from June 2003. The one below has been made by J. te Kate in Argentine and then comes a picture by E. Braaksma made in the zoo of Beekse Bergen in Holland.
The turkey vultures are big (length of 73 cm but a wingspan of almost 140 cm) and mainly black with a red head. Their wings are half black, half grey from below (see photo) and have no white in them, like in the wings of the black vulture. They do not fly around in large groups like the black vultures and do not come near people so easily. They play an important role in nature by eating rotten meat (fish, animals) and fruit. They can find their food by their sharp eyesight but also by smell, unlike most other birds (as far as we know).

Turkey vulture

Each small square indicates the observation of at least one (group) of these birds, the medium ones at least 4 observations on different days and the largest ones 10 or more. The color of each square indicates: blue for coastal area, yellow for savanna and red for rainforest. Not seen in large groups like black vultures. (Largest group 10: Coesewijne savanna january 1984, Ribot).


Distribution in Suriname (explanation)
Coastal area
Savanna
Forests
Mountain forests
Sipalawini savanna

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More pictures of vultures and birds of prey from Suriname

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