The vultures can commonly be seen perched on a tower along I near the Ottawa Farms Landfill , 68th Ave. Their numbers have actually been increasing since the 's. They are not common in forested areas. Watch the vultures soar over I More from MLive:. All rights reserved About Us. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local.
Val spends her days soaking up the sunshine with her wings stretched out, playing with meat bones and being an animal ambassador. Val requires daily care and training, but has come a long way since she first arrived! Val is not on public display, but she sometimes visits the main Nature Center building with the naturalists and teaches the public about her important species!
Life Span: 10 years in the wild, up to 20 in captivity Size: 6-foot wingspan, feet tall Food Habits: Carnivorous Scavenger. They are also frequently observed soaring the skies in the open countryside. When these raptors are frightened, they can be so full of meat that they cannot rapidly fly away. Bear in mind that even if they miss, they are vultures that are eating rotting meat, so just try to imagine the odor.
The only sound a Turkey Vulture can manage is hissing. They lack vocal organs. Lastly, these scavengers are popular and have an entire day dedicated to them! I grew up in Hinckley and used to attend this event yearly, participating in everything from the pancake breakfast to helping count the returning vultures! Black Vultures primarily eat carrion, but unlike most other vultures, they are known to kill animals to feed on fresh meat. These birds get their name because their entire body is covered in black feathers and a bald head that features black skin.
But as they are soaring, you can see silver feathers on the underside of their wings. Just remember that Black Vultures have black-colored heads and are short and compact, where Turkey Vultures have red-colored heads and are longer and lankier.
If they are soaring above you, Black Vultures will display silvery wingtips. The loyal pair are excellent parents and will defend their nest, eggs, and young vigorously. Interestingly, these vultures build their nests on the ground in stumps, caves, thickets, brush piles, or hollow trees.
No nesting material is used either! Baby vultures are fed by their parents for up to 8 months, and the entire family develops strong bonds. Large communal roosts are common, where relatives can gather to meet up, and unrelated vultures are aggressively chased off.
Look for Black Vultures in both forested and open areas, although these birds are relatively rare to see in Michigan.
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