Vultures

[GeorgeK]

They've been acting different lately. Normally you just see one or two somewhere in the sky at any given time of day once the thermals start. A few weeks ago I was sitting in the recliner watching the news and started seeing these shadows dance across the window. I got up and looked to see 2 dozen vultures just sitting in a tree and another dozen circling over the garage. I went to check the pasture. There were no injured or dead animals, so I went back in to rest and a vulture landed on the gable of the garage, outside my window and started staring at me. He flicked his head around a few times in a way that sure looked like he was looking in the window right at me as if to ask, "Are you done with that liver yet?"

He sat there for 20 minutes staring in the window at me. It was starting to creep me out. They seem to have moved here to roost at night in a big flock. I've never seen them do this before. Maybe they decided ours was a nice place because we don't hassle them. I know some farmers shoot at them with shotguns out of fear. When my daughter came home last week and helped me butcher a ram we left what was left of the head and skin out for them. They ate it and most of them have left. It's like they were waiting a couple of weeks for an offering.

[lbender]

Did you ever see 'The Birds'? I'd be careful if I were you.

Actually, they might be waiting for another meal, but I don't know much about them. Try calling a wildlife sanctuary or wildlife rescue place. They may know more.

[frimble3]

They've been acting different lately. Normally you just see one or two somewhere in the sky at any given time of day once the thermals start. A few weeks ago I was sitting in the recliner watching the news and started seeing these shadows dance across the window. I got up and looked to see 2 dozen vultures just sitting in a tree and another dozen circling over the garage. I went to check the pasture. There were no injured or dead animals, so I went back in to rest and a vulture landed on the gable of the garage, outside my window and started staring at me. He flicked his head around a few times in a way that sure looked like he was looking in the window right at me as if to ask, "Are you done with that liver yet?"

He sat there for 20 minutes staring in the window at me. It was starting to creep me out. They seem to have moved here to roost at night in a big flock. I've never seen them do this before. Maybe they decided ours was a nice place because we don't hassle them. I know some farmers shoot at them with shotguns out of fear. When my daughter came home last week and helped me butcher a ram we left what was left of the head and skin out for them. They ate it and most of them have left. It's like they were waiting a couple of weeks for an offering.
Maybe you should check the sheep again, if none are injured or dead, maybe some are doing poorly? (And desperately trying to look lively and bouncy?)

In all seriousness, check with local wildlife authorities, or, see this link http://vulturesociety.homestead.com/Discourage.html
Vultures roost in flocks, and if the local roost has been destroyed or made unusable, they may have moved to a more congenial site, at least on a temporary basis. You know, a nice place run by a nice guy who doesn't shoot at them (illegal, anyway) and puts out snacks.
Your trees may only be a staging point, while they consider their options.
There's was a huge crow rookery just past where I work, when they all flew in at dusk it looked the the D-Day fly-over. Then the area was cleared for 'developement', and the crows were devastated. They flew around at all hours, in disjointed little groups, trying to find a home. After a few months, some settled near my work, some further off, but most just seem to have vanished or dispersed so widely that they just don't show up.

[Fenika]

We had a lot of vultures where I once boarded. Mostly they hung out by or on the fence. Sometimes they stared when we went by. I was a little perturbed and I'm a bird person. Of course, I was also worried my horse would freak and dump me if they took flight ;)

[Smish]

You know, during the summer, I saw a huge gathering of vultures near my house. Someone had apparently been fishing at the lake, cleaned their fish, and then pitched the heads and guts into the road. The vultures were lined up on the fence rows on both sides of the street. I'd never seen that many in one spot before (probably at least twenty).

It was definitely creepy. I was a little afraid to walk to my car. :D

[RobinF]

They're species of vultures are migratory. If you're in their winter location you'll have them for a while. If not, they're passing through and most or all will leave.

I was working outside with my daughter when a turkey vulture appeared, followed by another, and then two dozen of them. They circled us Hitchcock style for 10 minutes. The cat left a dead rabbit near the hen house. Creepiest thing to ever happen on my farm.

[Tepelus]

In the fall, in our area, the Turkey vultures migrate in flocks (is that what a group of vultures is called?). This, depending on where you live, may be what you're seeing.

[Captcha]

I used to work at one of those pioneer village places (where people dress up in pioneer garb and do pioneer chores for the tourists) and it was my job to open the site up in the morning. Beautiful, but a bit ghostly, too... like I'd stepped back in time, and everyone else had disappeared... except, of course, for the turkey vultures. They roosted overnight in a framed-up but unfinished barn, and in the morning, while they waited for the heat to give them some updrafts, they'd sit and stare at the solitary, vaguely creeped-out girl unlocking all the old buildings.

I just started thinking of them as friends. If I was the most interesting thing for them to be watching, then there probably wasn't anything dangerous on the site, I figured.

I didn't go so far as to start leaving them offerings, though.

On the plus side - damn, they're beautiful flyers.

[Perks]

Is it wrong that I love vultures? They have a crap job and they're so homely and still, they're magnificent and vital.

And George, yeah, we have those transient roosting parties occasionally, too. It's a little intimidating.

[Williebee]

Here in So.Ill. this weekend is "Vulture Fest". (http://thesouthern.com/news/article_5a5900d6-d9ab-11df-b3d5-001cc4c03286.html)

It started out as a vulture watching party, but became a community event. The local organizers will tell you about the car show, and the craft fair, and the food and the music and the games for the kids. (http://www.davedardis.com/publish_to_web/index.html) And... oh yeah, there's vultures. They don't focus on the vultures because then someone might ask, "Why are all these vultures here?"

And then they'd have to talk about the snakes. (http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-0009160040-tr-sep22,0,3439809.story)

Vultures are migratory critters. They migrate to where the food is. In this case, snakes, toad and other critters that are migrating to their breeding grounds. Bunches of 'em. So much so that there are roads that are closed for a couple months a year to let them pass.

But hey, look. Shiny car. Have something cooked on a stick. What is it? It's something cooked on a stick. Shut up and smile for the TV people. :)

(It's a lot of fun.)

[bongalak]

Vultures tend to get a bad rap, but it is mostly undeserved. Here's an article that talks about that a bit.

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/green_room/2009/02/vulture_world.html

[GeorgeK]

If you are close enough to them, their feathers make a cool sound while they fly, kind of like how doves do if you dropped it about 4 octaves and streteched it out. I kind of imagine it would be like rubbing a piece of leather over the strings of a viola.

[frimble3]

They circled us Hitchcock style for 10 minutes. The cat left a dead rabbit near the hen house. Creepiest thing to ever happen on my farm.

.

I just started thinking of them as friends. If I was the most interesting thing for them to be watching, then there probably wasn't anything dangerous on the site, I figured.

I didn't go so far as to start leaving them offerings, though.
That's how I read it, too.

[RobinF]

That's how I read it, too.
Did you think I left the rabbit for them? I don't understand what you read into what I said.

[oarsman]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_35Ev-29WFGc/SZdUkY9ykeI/AAAAAAAACH0/mtEI0xLIZCA/s400/tastes_funny.jpg

[frimble3]

Did you think I left the rabbit for them? I don't understand what you read into what I said.
Combining your and Captcha's posts, I thought the cat left the rabbit for them. As an offering to these birds of ill-omen that suddenly turned up.
Enhanced by your sentence: "Creepiest thing to ever happen on my farm." I mean, vultures are a part of nature, but, combining vultures with 'cat-leaves-a-rabbit-for-them', now that's seriously creepy.

In hindsight, I guess you meant something more mundane, like 'the cat left a dead rabbit lying around and the vultures came to check it out?'
Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that your farm was some sort of magnet for weirdness. It's probably a fine place. And, absolutely normal.

[Williebee]

Yeah, I read it as if you were implying the cat left an offering and you didn't. It was really funny that way, btw.

[RobinF]

In hindsight, I guess you meant something more mundane, like 'the cat left a dead rabbit lying around and the vultures came to check it out?'
Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that your farm was some sort of magnet for weirdness. It's probably a fine place. And, absolutely normal.

That's what I meant. The cat killed it, the vultures found it.The farm is a magnet for hilarity. Picture suburban girl who works in the city, gives up heels and suits for jeans and boots, gets pigs, horses, goats, cattle, chickens, ducks and turkeys. Now imagine everything that could go wrong. Add circling vultures.

[Canotila]

They're pretty smart and awesome. I used to be heavily involved in civil war reenacting. Turkey vultures for miles around had learned that the sound of gunfire = a pile of guts to eat, so when a battle was staged dozens of the buggers would show up and start circling the battlefield. It lent a little extra ambiance to the affair.

Some of my friends are falconers and involved in raptor rehab. One of them had the privilege of rehabbing a turkey vulture. He told me that he'd worked with hawks, eagles, owls, but that if he'd known how awesome vultures are he'd have never messed around with those other species. They are extremely social, and according to him, as intelligent as the large parrots. They just can't talk. None of the raptors he worked with were remotely interested in being friends with a human.

[GeorgeK]

The strange behavior is now a little better explained. Black Vultures have moved in. Before we've only ever seen Turkey Vultures.

[Adobedragon]

I love vultures. Especially since around here, they are one of our birds of summer, along with the hummingbirds. When I see a turkey vulture riding the thermals, in the spring, I know that winter is finally over. And as with the hummingbirds, when they leave, I know the cold is coming.