Well, it’s kinda unusual for Black Vultures to set up shop in our back yard but that’s what’s been going on for at least the last decade.
It began one spring, when we noticed that a pair had moved into a child’s playhouse in the back of our property that was in sorry condition when we bought the house in 1987. They come in late February or March, have 1 or usually 2 babies and then all depart in the late summer or early fall, headed for caves along the Cumberland River, about a mile from here as the vulture flies.
At first we were a little apprehensive and wondered if this was a sign of our imminent demise. That’s clearly not the case so we learned that they only ate dead creatures and thus were no threat to our two cats.
We began to view them as entertainment and made sure their water source was filled. We got attached to them and remain so.
They mate for life, can live up to 40 years and seem to have little fear of humans as they will fly up to their watering hole on our deck when we are sitting less than ten feet away so, of course we say hello. We watch them preen and nuzzle one another. We named them each year with a name beginning with a V of course but after all this time, are running low on good ones.
The fun begins when we watch their offspring gradually learn to fly, starting with this odd little hop and gradually getting their wings so they can be ready when their parents decide it’s time to fly their coop..
We do not know if the parents return annually or if the previous year’s babies return – I have yet to figure out how to tell them apart.
When the babies emerge from their eggs they are already about a foot tall and have mottled feathers, dark, kind of a rust yellow. As they mature the mottling retreats and then they are solid black like their parents.
These are not turkey buzzards with the weird markings, in fact vultures find carcasses buzzards have located and just help themselves, the buzzards know vultures can kick their hineys.
These are LARGE birds, one stood in front of me as I sat six feet away and spread one wing, then the other, like he was showing off. His wingspan was at least six feet.
One day I saw our two cats, Tex and Harry, sitting with a vulture between them and one on either side like they were having a meeting. Alas, I cannot find my snapshot of this friendly gathering.
During our recent heat wave with temps hitting the high 90s they sit around in the shade.
So it’s our VVRBO, the Vultures get free rent in exchange for Melanie and I seeing them, as they say, “up close and personal”.
There’s a link below for more information.
C’mon now, hit that Like button and if you have your own Vulture stories, please share them.
Thanks, Rob, yes the Music vultures don't wait until their prey is dead.
The actual vultures seem so much better than the music business vultures we have known.