The Maryland Farm Bureau (MDFB) put out a press release earlier this year announcing that producer permits for the control of black vulture depredations are now available. It is against federal law to kill a black vulture without a federally issued permit.
“Black vultures can kill livestock young and damage property,” states a MDFB press release. “They can work together as a ‘wake’ and attack an animal to the point of death or need of euthanasia. As black vultures have been traced from migratory origin, they are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 and can only be lethally controlled through USFWS (U.S. Fish and Wildlife) permits. USFWS and MDFB suggest trying non-lethal means to manage black vultures first, but know that the loss of livestock young, among other damage, affects Maryland farmers’ bottom lines. The wakes of black vultures often target the soft tissue, like eyes, noses and tongues, of their prey.”
Some bird advocates have denied that vultures attack live animals, saying that has never been documented.
A press release from the Kentucky Department of Forestry and Natural Resources said roost disturbances should occur around a half hour prior to sunset until a half hour after sunset and should be completed over multiple consecutive days to increase the probability of successfully making the birds permanently leave the roost.
“With larger roosts harassment may need to be continued for upwards of 7-14 days,” the press release states. “Even if you are successful in causing the birds to leave the area, they may return several weeks or months later and harassment will have to occur again.”
Tex A. Sordahl, a biology professor at Luther College in Iowa, said effigies of vultures were successful in removing vultures roosting on a cell tower in Decorah and trees next to homes whose owners were concerned.
“Not only did they never use the tower with the objectionable carcass, but they never used the nearby second tower again either,” Sordahl wrote in 2012. “And then the unexpected side effect occurred. Within weeks the vultures completely abandoned the night roost a quarter-mile away from the towers. It was the USDA’s intention (and the homeowner’s, I believe) to cause the vultures to simply abandon one pre-roost tower. But it didn’t work out that way. Repelling the birds from one tower caused the entire Decorah roost to collapse.
“Why am I bothering to write this letter, when the Decorah vulture roost appears to be past tense? Education. Historical record. A memorial, perhaps. But, also, because there could be hope for Decorah to get its vultures back.”
Some people find vultures fascinating. One local restaurant owner has been observed hand feeding the vultures waste from the restaurant.
The Kern Audubon Society in California states that while turkey vultures have a six-foot wingspan, they only weigh between 2-4 pounds.
An online article by Kern Audubon states:
- Vultures are the only scavenger birds that can’t kill their prey. “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 unique in the bird world. The turkey vulture has the largest olfactory (smelling) system of all birds. If a turkey vulture is disturbed or harassed, it will throw up on whoever is bothering it. Even the vulture babies will do this!”
- Committees of perched vultures are called a wake. Imagine them mourning over something with their heads hung down. During the hot summer months turkey vultures will defecate on their feet to cool them off.
- Kettles of vultures spiral upward to gain altitude. As vultures catch thermal updrafts, they take on the appearance of water boiling in a pot – hence the name kettle. Turkey vultures have been reported by aircraft pilots to rise to as high as 20,000 feet and soar for hours without flapping their wings.
- Researchers have determined that turkey vultures can travel at up to 200 miles in a day.
- Because of their light weight, turkey vultures can virtually float in the sky using the thermal currents
(rising columns of air) to get around the skies. This technique uses very little energy as the vultures rarely need to flap.
- Turkey vultures can swoop up to 60 mph in order to avoid being “mobbed” by ravens or jays. They also have excellent eyesight and can spot dying or recently dead animals from high in the air.
- Turkey vultures have been known to live up to 24 years.