Buzzard Eating Roadkill

[Trustdace]

Here is a pic I took this morning. As I was driving the family to go eat breakfast the kids became excited and started yelling, "Look Daddy! Look!" I looked over to the side and saw this big black bird right at the side of the road. I didn't see the item it was feeding on at first and I thought it might be injured. I have always seen these birds flying around up in the sky but never so close-up. Well you know me, I grabbed the camera and started shooting away....suddenly my daughter said look there's a dead cat! I looked ahead of the buzzard and saw an animal carcass a few feet away from it! Right then it marched right up to the carcass and started ripping it and feeding it right before our eyes! Man I felt like I was in an episode of nature or something! The kids were going, "Oooh how cool!!" Anyways; the dead animal is actually a huge possum that was hit by a car. I did manage to take a short video that I might post later if anyone is interested. By the way the buzzard was an incredibly beautiful specimen. I particularly thought the grey head is a nice color.

[Luvparrots]

Nice Vulture. That is a vulture right? Thanks for sharing Roger, I think:sick:

[judygram]

You notice the head has no feathers and that is for a reason, who wants their feathers all messed up sticking their head inside dead animals to feed:sick:

 

Thanks I think for sharing that with us.:pinch: :whistle:

[Trustdace]

Actually Judy the head is feathered, and a nice shade of gray feathers! Incredible huh? I don't know if it is a vulture or a buzzard. Maybe it is a vulture. You should have seen the size of this animal especially when it spread it wings!:ohmy:

[Luvparrots]

It is a black vulture, native to southern states, like Florida.

[Trustdace]

Ok cool. I do live in south Florida. Miami to be exact.B)

[judygram]

That may be a vulture, we usually see buzzards here, not the prettiest sight to see when one of them is feeding on a dead animal but then some animal has to and that is what it was put here to do.:pinch:

[Trustdace]

What is the difference Judy between a vulture and a buzzard? :unsure:

[Trustdace]

Here is another pic I took of it.

[judygram]

We have the turkey buzzard and they don't have feathers on their heads or part of the neck and I think they are uglier than the vulture.

[Trustdace]

Actually Judy you are correct. The head does not have feathers. I just researched it and it has a featherless head. For some reason it seemed to me like it did have gray feathers on its head. :dry: I must be getting old, need glasses.

[judygram]

Yeah its easier to wipe clean after sticking their heads in dead carcasses to feed:sick:

 

Unfortunately we all need reading glasses as we age, happens to the best of us.

[Trustdace]

One more pic.

[danmcq]

Great Vulture photos Roger!!

 

What's the difference between a Vulture and Buzzard?

 

Well, in reality there are no "Buzzards" in the Americas. Though commonly called buzzards, the birds are actually vultures. The "buzzard" moniker originated with the early English settlers who thought the birds were like the soaring hawks they had called "buzzards" in the Old World. It was an understandable misunderstanding because the buzzards of the Old World (Eastern Hemisphere) included hawks, eagles, kites and even vultures. All those soaring birds were and are in the same bird family, Accipitridae.

 

However, the vultures of the New World (Western Hemisphere) are in a separate bird family, Cathartidae, even though they superficially resemble the Old World vultures with their bare-skinned heads.

 

There are seven species of New World vultures: the Andean Condor, king vulture, yellow-headed and greater yellow-headed vultures, California condor, turkey vulture, and black vulture. Only the black vulture, turkey vulture, and California condor---recently re-introduced into the wild---range in the United States.

[judygram]

I don't really know the difference Dan but they both feed off carrion:sick: but then I guess something has to and they were chosen for that task, they are welcome to it:S :pinch: :blink:

[Trustdace]

Thank you Dan for the clarification. What an interesting avian species. I don't know why but it captured my attention instantly. Now with the information you have provided me I will look up the other related species. Thanks again Dan for another incredibly informative post. I always enjoy them.B)