Turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) are a common sight in many parts of North and South America. But their name often raises the question – why are they called turkey vultures? What do these large, soaring birds have to do with turkeys?
Theories on the Turkey Name
There are a few theories on why these vultures ended up with turkey in their name:
Physical Appearance
One theory is that the name comes from the turkey vulture’s physical appearance. When seen up close, the featherless red head and neck of the turkey vulture resemble the head of a male turkey. Their colors can look similar, especially when the turkey vulture has its head hunched down.
So some believe early American settlers thought the birds looked like turkeys and started calling them turkey buzzards or turkey vultures. Over time the turkey name stuck.
Behavior
Another idea is that the name refers to how turkey vultures walk and carry themselves on the ground. With their more chicken-like feet, turkey vultures have a turkey-like strut when walking. And when threatened, they will pull their neck back into an S-shape, much like a turkey.
###association with turkeys
It’s also possible turkey vultures ended up with their name because they were often seen feeding around turkey farms. As scavengers, turkey vultures seek out dead animals to feed on. And on turkey farms, they would dispose of any carcasses or waste.
Early settlers seeing them around the turkeys may have referred to them as turkey buzzards, and the name evolved from there.
Range
Some sources suggest the turkey name comes from the overlap between the turkey vulture’s range and domestic turkeys.Turkey vultures are found all over North and Central America. And this range overlaps with where wild turkeys and domestic turkeys were raised by early American settlers. So it’s possible the two were often seen together.
Inaccurate Naming
There’s also one theory that suggests the turkey name is just an inaccurate name. Turkey vultures are related to storks, not to birds of prey like eagles or hawks.
Some believe they were mistakenly named by early settlers who saw them scavenging like buzzards (vultures) and who inaccurately compared them to turkeys.
Why Do They Have Vulture in Their Name?
Unlike the turkey part of their name, there is no question why turkey vultures have vulture in their name. It is because they exhibit typical vulture behaviors:
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Scavenging – Turkey vultures primarily eat carrion, or dead animals. They use their incredible sense of smell to find carcasses.
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Soaring – They soar for hours while searching for food, sometimes soaring as high as 6000 feet. Their v-shaped wings are perfect for soaring.
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Bald heads – Like all vultures, turkey vultures have featherless heads. This allows them to feed on rotting carcasses without the mess of blood and guts sticking to feathers.
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Community roosts – They roost together in large community nests, sometimes with black vultures.
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Vomit defense – When threatened, turkey vultures will vomit as a defense mechanism. All vultures do this.
So while the turkey name is debatable, the vulture name clearly comes from their scavenging, soaring, bald-headed vulture behaviors.
Interesting Facts About Turkey Vultures
Now that we’ve explored why they are called turkey vultures, here are some more interesting facts about these unique birds:
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Turkey vultures have one of the best senses of smell of any animal, able to detect ethyl mercaptan, a gas produced by decaying tissue, in incredibly small amounts. Their sense of smell is up to 10,000 times more sensitive than humans.
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They are very social and roost in large groups, sometimes up to 100 to 200 vultures in a single roost.
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Turkey vultures are found from Canada through to South America, as far south as Chile and Argentina. They prefer open habitats like grasslands, deserts, and scrub.
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They help control disease by disposing of carrion, along with other scavengers like coyotes and rats.
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Turkey vultures have relatively weak feet and legs. They can’t carry heavy prey with their feet like eagles or tear open tough hides with their talons. Instead, they use their sharp beaks to enter body cavities and tear tissue.
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They are slow reproducers, laying just 1 to 3 eggs per year. But they live long for birds, with lifespans over 10 years in the wild.
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Turkey vulture numbers are declining in some parts of their range due to lead poisoning and collisions with wind turbines and vehicles. But overall, their populations are still strong.
Why the Turkey Name Endures
While we may never be totally certain about the origin of their unusual name, there are a few reasons why the name turkey vulture has endured:
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Distinctive appearance – There is no denying their red heads make them look somewhat turkey-like. This distinguishing feature likely led to the association with turkeys.
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Long-established name – Turkey vulture became the accepted common name over a century ago. Turkey buzzard and turkey vulture were both used in the 1800’s before turkey vulture became the standard name.
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Lack of confusion – Unlike the term buzzard which means different birds in America versus Europe, turkey vulture creates no confusion about the species. So there was no need for a name change.
The common name turkey vulture has stood the test of time. These fascinating vultures will likely continue soaring over the Americas with their memorable moniker for centuries to come. Their turkey-like struts and vulturine habits seem destined to be linked together in their descriptive name.
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15 Interesting Facts About Turkey Vultures
>> The turkey vulture is related to the stork, not to any birds of prey.
>> Their scientific name in Latin means “cleansing breeze.”
>> Like all other vultures, the turkey vulture has a bald head. This is so that bits of carrion (dead meat) do not adhere to the skin as they would to feathers. At close range the naked red heads of the adult turkey vultures resemble those of turkeys, hence the name.
>> Turkey vultures are the only scavenger birds that can’t kill their prey.
>> A close inspection of their feet reminds one of a chicken instead of a hawk or an eagle. Their feet are useless for ripping into prey, but the vultures have powerful beaks that can tear through even the toughest cow hide.
>> They feed by thrusting their heads into the body cavities of rotting animals.
>> Turkey vultures have an extraordinary sense of smell. They have been known to be able to smell carrion from over a mile away, which is very unique in the bird world. The turkey vulture has the largest olfactory (smelling) system of all birds.
>> Vultures prefer meat as fresh as possible and won’t eat extremely rotted carcasses. They can smell carrion only 12-24 hours old.
>> In the early morning hours you may see turkey vultures sunbathing in a tree with their wings spread out. This is done to increase their body temperature after the cool night.
>> When you see turkey vultures swarming around in a cluster in the early morning hours of early spring or fall, they are preparing to continue on their migration. Vultures seen in the evening hours have probably arrived in the area that day and are preparing to roost for the night.
>> Researchers have determined that turkey vultures can travel at up to 200 miles in a day.
>> Turkey vultures average 2 1/2 feet tall with a 6 foot wingspan. In spite of their large size, they only weigh about 3 pounds.
>> People will often mistakenly call turkey vultures, buzzards, which is the British name for certain hawks.
>> Turkey vultures have been known to live up to 24 years. The average age is estimated to be around 20 years.
>> Vultures help clean up the environment by eating the flesh off dead animals before it rots and causes disease.
Wingspan 6 feet; length, 27 inches. Brownish/black body, the featherless head is black in immature birds, red in adults. Wings are held in a V when soaring, unlike eagles which hold their wings straight out. Birds rock or appear unsteady in flight.
Southern Canada through South America. Migrates to the southern U.S. in the winter.
Open country, roosts in large congregations in secluded woods.
Usually on the ground under cover, sometimes in caves. Lays 2 eggs.
Turkey vultures feed on carrion, which they locate by smell or possibly vision. They are often seen feeding in groups on large items but will eat almost anything.
Considered common in its range, this bird is afforded no special conservation status.
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Why Are Turkey Vultures Called Turkey Vultures? – Bird Watching Diaries
FAQ
Why is it called turkey vulture?
The turkey vulture received its common name from the resemblance of the adult’s bald red head and dark plumage to that of the male wild turkey, while the name “vulture” is derived from the Latin word vulturus, meaning “tearer”, and is a reference to its feeding habits.
Why is it illegal to shoot turkey vultures?
As the sun came out and warmed things up, they started striking the pose, drying and fluffing their wings. Smith also said that turkey vultures are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It is illegal to shoot them or capture them, and hefty fines are assessed if the birds are harmed.
What is the difference between a vulture and a turkey vulture?
Turkey Vultures have longer, narrower wings and longer tails than Black Vultures. They have grayish primaries and secondaries, whereas Black Vultures have black wings with white “stars” in the primaries.
Why do Americans call vultures buzzards?
Knowing that buzzard was slang for a contemptible person, they looked at the ugly vulture feeding on dead animals, and all of those associations combined, …Feb 14, 2024
Why is it called a turkey vulture?
The turkey vulture received its common name from the resemblance of the adult’s bald red head and dark plumage to that of the male wild turkey, while the name “vulture” is derived from the Latin word vulturus, meaning “tearer”, and is a reference to its feeding habits.
Are turkey vultures eagles or hawks?
They may not be the most glamorous bird of prey or receive as much attention as some of their eagle and hawk counterparts, but turkey vultures are certainly interesting members of the family. Found across both North and South America, the turkey vulture, also known as the buzzard, is the most abundant of America’s New World vultures.
How old is a turkey vulture?
The oldest recorded Turkey Vulture was at least 23 years, 4 months old when it was seen in California in 2019, the same state where it was banded in 1997. Looking for ID Help?
Are turkey vultures in your backyard?
However, they are not likely to be in your backyard unless something has died or else you have a very large backyard. The Turkey Vulture uses its sense of smell to locate carrion. The part of its brain responsible for processing smells is particularly large, compared to other birds.
What is the difference between a black vulture and a turkey vultures?
In flight, the tail is long and slim. The black vulture is relatively shorter-tailed and shorter-winged, which makes it appear rather smaller in flight than the turkey vulture, although the body masses of the two species are roughly the same.
What does a turkey vulture look like?
Turkey vultures are one of the largest birds of prey in North America. They have long, broad wings and a relatively short tail, giving them a distinctive V-shaped silhouette when soaring. The head of the Turkey Vulture is bare and red, with a wrinkled or warty appearance. The neck is featherless and extends down from the head.