The turkey vulture is a widely recognized bird across the Americas, often seen soaring high above. Its distinctive name, combining “turkey” and “vulture,” offers direct clues to its appearance and ecological role.
The Striking Resemblance to Turkeys
The “turkey” in the turkey vulture’s name directly refers to a notable physical similarity with the wild turkey. Adult turkey vultures possess a featherless head and upper neck that is bright red and often wrinkled. This bare, crimson skin strongly resembles the head and neck of a male wild turkey.
While juvenile turkey vultures have a dark, unfeathered head, it gradually transitions to the characteristic pinkish-red of adults. The bare skin on their head is also functional, helping to keep them clean when feeding on carrion, as feathers would otherwise become soiled.
The Vulture’s Role: A Name of Function
The “vulture” portion of the name accurately describes the bird’s primary ecological function. Vultures are a group of birds of prey that primarily feed on carrion, which is the decaying flesh of dead animals. Turkey vultures are specialized scavengers, consuming a wide variety of deceased animals ranging from small mammals to large grazers.
They generally prefer carcasses that are recently dead, avoiding those that have reached advanced stages of putrefaction. This feeding habit provides a service to ecosystems by removing decaying organic matter, which helps prevent the spread of diseases. The turkey vulture’s digestive system is adapted for this role, possessing stomach acid corrosive enough to neutralize harmful bacteria and toxins found in rotting meat, such as anthrax and botulism.
Adaptations Beyond Their Name
Beyond their name, turkey vultures possess several adaptations that aid their survival. Unlike most birds, they have an acute sense of smell, their primary tool for locating food. They can detect the scent of ethyl mercaptan, a gas released by decaying animals, from considerable distances, even when carcasses are hidden under dense forest canopies.
In flight, turkey vultures conserve energy efficiently. They utilize thermals, which are rising columns of warm air, to soar with minimal wing flapping. They hold their wings in a shallow V-shape, known as a dihedral, which provides stability and allows them to efficiently ride these updrafts, circling gracefully to gain altitude.
Turkey vultures also exhibit thermoregulatory and defensive behaviors. To cool down in warm weather, they practice urohidrosis, a behavior where they excrete urine onto their legs and feet, allowing evaporative cooling to lower their body temperature. As a defense mechanism when threatened, they will projectile vomit their foul-smelling, acidic stomach contents up to ten feet. This deterrent can repel predators and also serves to lighten their body weight, facilitating a quick escape.