nature video

Turkey vultures get a bad rap

/ Roadtirementvintage / 4 Comments

Some people are afraid of them, most state how ugly they are, many shudder when they think of what turkey vultures eat. Turkey vultures are, regardless of their reputation, wonderful birds that play a very important role in the ecosystem. They consume any dead animal carcasses they find, thus removing any rotting carcasses.

Warming up or drying out

What some think about the Turkey Vulture

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turkey vultures tend to roost at night in large groups. Their body temperatures lower overnight, and the next morning these large birds often spread their wings wide and hold them spread out. This behavior allows them to raise their temperatures. This behavior also is thought to dry wings.

Some more fun facts about Turkey Vultures

  • They can soar for  hours at a time, rarely flapping wings
  • They clean up the carcasses of dead animals, keeping diseases down
  • Wing spans reach up to six feet
  • They stick their heads in carcasses, so no head feathers
  • Buzzard is not the correct name for turkey vultures
  • They DO NOT kill dogs, cats, or children

And finally, a group of Turkey Vultures roosting is called a “committee”. When they are soaring in the air on thermals they are a “kettle” and when eating they are a “wake”.

The bold, brash and beautiful Blue Jay

/ Roadtirementvintage / 3 Comments

This common, large songbird is familiar to many, as it is a common resident in both forests and suburbs. Blue Jays are easy to spot with their blue, white, and black plumage, and have very noisy calls. Some of these calls mimic predators like hawks and eagles, scaring other birds into dropping their foods, which the Blue Jays gladly take for themselves.

The Blue Jay is an omnivore. Its diet  varies according to the time of year and available supply. It is well known that acorns are their favorite food, and are gathered and stored for winter consumption. Forgotten acorns have reseeded forests for millenniums.

Blue Jays mate for life. A mated couple split the work of building their bulky stick nests. The male brings the female food as she sits on the eggs. He continues to feed the chicks for the first few days after they hatch. Blue Jays are fun to watch and exciting to hear. You’re lucky if you have them in your yard.