As I take my Saturday morning stroll, my favorite site is the beautiful winged flight of my friends the Turkey Buzzards. There are usually three that seem to follow me around the block, circling dipping and gliding high above in the air currents. They are a beauty to behold and often I wish I could join them up there as they play in the wind. Now, as they are my favorite bird, I realize that the proper term is actually Turkey Vulture (a buzzard is really a species of hawk), but I like to think of them buzzing around in the air, and besides, the word Vulture (latin for to tear) seems too dangerous for such a gentle and non-aggressive creature. They do not attack animals or people, but feed primarily on carrion or dead things. Their sense of smell is so keen that they can smell a dead mouse under a forest floor from 200 feet in the air. Turkey Buzzards usually prefer a fresh kill and contrary to popular myth don't enjoy truly rotted meat. They will also eat vegetation and when they do eat dead animals, they seem to prefer herbivores. I like to think of them as Nature's Sanitation Workers as they clean up the road kill so humans don't have to. Their bald red heads are featherless, as a means of avoiding the parasites that surround their food choice, and their own bodily waste is used to sanitize their feet after their feast. Your average adult turkey buzzard is usually 25-32 inches long with a six foot wing span and weights about 6 lbs. They play a mating game that involves a circle of birds that take turns hopping around the perimeter with their wings partially extended to choose their mate. Once chosen, both the mom and the dad stay together to feed the babies until they are launched. Since they are not attack birds, their only defense is to play dead or to vomit at their predator. They are truly a peaceful bird. Last year I fell down a flight of stairs while carrying a laundry basket of clothes from the second floor. I cracked my head pretty badly and was quite out of commission for most of the weekend. My husband was truly concerned that I chose not to go to the hospital and lovingly cared for me as I convalesced on the couch. I think he knew what he was doing when he threw the trimmed fat off of the pork roast into the backyard. As I sat on the couch, he called from the kitchen to tell me that my friends had come to visit and were concerned about me... "just look out the window." As I peered out into the yard, I was overwhelmed by the sight of about 25-30 Turkey Buzzards. The younger ones were taking turns tearing and eating the fat, while many more were just perched in the trees waiting patiently for their turn. I laughed so hard to see them hopping around like awkward chickens, but a more wonderful and healing sight I couldn't imagine. So if you see me walking around the block and I am looking to the sky yelling "Hello Friends!" you'll know why. I love those Turkey Buzzards.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Why I Love the Turkey Buzzard
As I take my Saturday morning stroll, my favorite site is the beautiful winged flight of my friends the Turkey Buzzards. There are usually three that seem to follow me around the block, circling dipping and gliding high above in the air currents. They are a beauty to behold and often I wish I could join them up there as they play in the wind. Now, as they are my favorite bird, I realize that the proper term is actually Turkey Vulture (a buzzard is really a species of hawk), but I like to think of them buzzing around in the air, and besides, the word Vulture (latin for to tear) seems too dangerous for such a gentle and non-aggressive creature. They do not attack animals or people, but feed primarily on carrion or dead things. Their sense of smell is so keen that they can smell a dead mouse under a forest floor from 200 feet in the air. Turkey Buzzards usually prefer a fresh kill and contrary to popular myth don't enjoy truly rotted meat. They will also eat vegetation and when they do eat dead animals, they seem to prefer herbivores. I like to think of them as Nature's Sanitation Workers as they clean up the road kill so humans don't have to. Their bald red heads are featherless, as a means of avoiding the parasites that surround their food choice, and their own bodily waste is used to sanitize their feet after their feast. Your average adult turkey buzzard is usually 25-32 inches long with a six foot wing span and weights about 6 lbs. They play a mating game that involves a circle of birds that take turns hopping around the perimeter with their wings partially extended to choose their mate. Once chosen, both the mom and the dad stay together to feed the babies until they are launched. Since they are not attack birds, their only defense is to play dead or to vomit at their predator. They are truly a peaceful bird. Last year I fell down a flight of stairs while carrying a laundry basket of clothes from the second floor. I cracked my head pretty badly and was quite out of commission for most of the weekend. My husband was truly concerned that I chose not to go to the hospital and lovingly cared for me as I convalesced on the couch. I think he knew what he was doing when he threw the trimmed fat off of the pork roast into the backyard. As I sat on the couch, he called from the kitchen to tell me that my friends had come to visit and were concerned about me... "just look out the window." As I peered out into the yard, I was overwhelmed by the sight of about 25-30 Turkey Buzzards. The younger ones were taking turns tearing and eating the fat, while many more were just perched in the trees waiting patiently for their turn. I laughed so hard to see them hopping around like awkward chickens, but a more wonderful and healing sight I couldn't imagine. So if you see me walking around the block and I am looking to the sky yelling "Hello Friends!" you'll know why. I love those Turkey Buzzards.
