Outside/In host Sam Evans-Brown, joined us in the field this week at Something Wild. We were in Sutton, NH tracking some turkey vulture chicks, because Dave discovered some vultures living among the rocks in a nearby cliff-face. Turkey Vultures (one of three vulture species living in North America) are obligate to this kind of structure: cavities in a boulder field, caves in a cliff, even big hollow logs. TVs don’t build their own nests, they just create a depression in an existing structure, but their primary criteria is shelter from the weather. While these nests usually do protect their occupants from the weather, there are other dangers. Since many nests are on the ground they are susceptible to predation from foxes and fishers. But the TVs have other defences. If a vulture feels trapped, it will offer a warning hiss before vomiting on a threat. Consider being covered in partially digested, putrid carrion; it’s easy to imagine any threat beating a hasty retreat. But that is the
Outside/In host Sam Evans-Brown, joined us in the field this week at Something Wild. We were in Sutton, NH tracking some turkey vulture chicks, because Dave discovered some vultures living among the rocks in a nearby cliff-face. Turkey Vultures (one of three vulture species living in North America) are obligate to this kind of structure: cavities in a boulder field, caves in a cliff, even big hollow logs. TVs don’t build their own nests, they just create a depression in an existing structure,