12.5. Cathartes aura: Turkey Vulture http://www.ck12.org
12.5 Cathartes aura: Turkey Vulture
Common Name
- Turkey Vulture
- Turkey Buzzard
- Buzzard
- Johns Crow
- Carrion Crow
Description
The turkey vulture’s length is 2- 2.7 ft., and its weight is 1.8 - 5.1lb. It’s is color ranges from black with some or
no brown with silver under the flight feathers. In flight its wings are angled a slight V shape. Up close, it has an
ivory-colored beak, its head is bald-red and may have a few feathers on its head (around the eyes, nose, etc). The
turkey vulture’s eggs are white with spots from red to brown to black. Some spots may be clustered some spread
out. Chicks are white and fluffy with a beak and head that are black. It will gain color and useful feathers as it ages.
Females and males look alike.
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Incertae sedis
- Family: Cathartidae
- Genus:Cathartes
- Species:Cathartes aura
Habitat
Turkey vultures live in North, Central and South America. They live in forests (rarely), coastlines, deserts, grass-
lands, and savannas. It only comes inland in summer, and it goes to Canada during mating season ( March to
April-May).