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Project Noah Nature School
Cathartes aura
Turkey Vultures are large dark birds with long, broad wings. Bigger than other raptors except eagles and condors, they have long "fingers" at their wingtips and long tails that extend past their toe tips in flight.
One of three species in the genus Cathartes, in the family Cathartidae, the Turkey Vulture is the most widespread of the New World vultures,[3] ranging 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.
These photos are in reverse chronological order. I was about a mile our from the Eastern Neck Refuge entrance when I saw this guy chowing on an opossum in the middle of the road. I stopped my car at a safe distance for a few shots and then when I drove up, the vulture took off for a nearby tree, where I was able to spot him for the first shot in the series.
Spotted on May 6, 2012
Submitted on May 7, 2012
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