Fifty or more turkey vultures circled above the Hinkson Creek valley, in south Columbia, last evening. No doubt enjoying the balmy conditions, they would soon settle for the night on wooded cliffs of the valley walls, roosting in large flocks.
Turkey vultures can be seen in Missouri throughout the year but are more common during the warmer months. After sunning themselves on boulders or dead branches through the early daylight hours, they catch thermals that develop by late morning, soaring above the countryside in effortless fashion. Skilled gliders with a 6-foot wingspan, they seldom flap their wings once airborne and are easily recognized by their habit of holding their wings in a shallow V. When soaring near the treetops, they often tilt from side to side, deftly catching the breeze.
Up close, turkey vultures are far less beautiful. Their small, red-colored head (gray-colored in immature birds) is featherless, an adaptation to their diet of carrion. Not equipped with the powerful talons or keen vision of hawks, owls and eagles, vultures locate dead animals through their amazing sense of smell. And unlike those large raptors, they do not build nests; rather, they lay their eggs on rock ledges, in hollow logs or directly on the ground.
