Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) - a photo on Flickriver

            Naples Botanical Gardens
Southwest Florida
USA

Photo taken from the ground looking up at the vulture high in a tree.  
 
The turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), also known in some North American regions as the turkey buzzard (or just buzzard), and in some areas of the Caribbean as the John crow or carrion crow, is the most widespread of the New World vultures.

One of three species in the genus Cathartes of the family Cathartidae, the turkey vulture ranges from southern Canada to the southernmost tip of South America. It inhabits a variety of open and semi-open areas, including subtropical forests, shrublands, pastures, and deserts. It roosts in large community groups. Lacking a syrinx—the vocal organ of birds—its only vocalizations are grunts or low hisses.

Like all New World vultures, it is not closely related to the Old World vultures of Europe, Africa, and Asia. The two groups strongly resemble each other because of convergent evolution; natural selection often leads to similar body plans in animals that adapt independently to the same conditions.

The turkey vulture is a scavenger and feeds almost exclusively on carrion. It finds its food using its keen eyes and sense of smell, flying low enough to detect the gasses produced by the beginnings of the process of decay in dead animals. In flight, it uses thermals to move through the air, flapping its wings infrequently.

It nests in caves, hollow trees, or thickets. Each year it generally raises two chicks, which it feeds by regurgitation. It has very few natural predators. In the United States, the vulture receives legal protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. - Wikipedia

Taken in: United States / Florida / Royal Harbor (show map)

Taken on: December 11, 2019

Tags:

Naples Botanical Gardens

Southwest Florida

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

New World Vulture

Three Species

Genus Cathartes

Family Cathartidae

Southern Canada

Southernmost tip of South America

Open and Semi-open Areas

Subtropical Forests

Shrublands

Pastures and Deserts

Convergent Evolution

Scavenger

Carrion

Keen Eyes and Sense Of Smell

Few Natural Predators

Sue Roehl

Lumix DMC GH4

Sunrays+5

coth5 « less

Sets appears in: • Naples Botanical Gardens 60 acre Wildlife Reserve

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