The Gathering

Just before retiring for the evening, the silhouettes of six buzzards are seen on a patch of ground near Cottonwood, Arizona. These migratory birds return from Mexico in March, spending the Spring and Summer months here in Arizona. With wings spanning six feet, Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) are fascinating birds, scavengers that are adapted to feast on roadkill and survive broiling AZ summer heat. Turkey Vultures have a unique defensive technique: they VOMIT to repel a threat. Sure, their habits may seem a bit repulsive, but turkey vultures are a gentle, charismatic and misunderstood bird species and they're quite worthy of our celebration. For the scavenging Turkey Vulture, sometimes
the waiting is the hardest part. March 21, 2002