TURKEY VULTURE (BUZZARD) Cathartes aura BIRD order Falconiformes Description 2-3 ft long; wingspan up to 5 ft. Head and upper neck bare with reddish skin (black in immature birds); plumage dark brown or black. Tail narrower and head longer than the similar black vulture. Chicks covered with long, white down. Range southern Canada to southernmost parts of South America Status Not currently listed as endagered. The turkey vulture is sometimes trapped, killed under the mistaken assumption that it carries diseases and kills livestock. Its carrion-eating habit makes it a most beneficial species because it cleans up decaying animals that could be a potential disease source. The international trade of this species is regulated by the law. Photo © James P. Rowan Photography |
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