TURKEY VULLTURE Cathartes aura
The Turkey Vulture is one of North America's largest birds of prey. It reaches a length of 32 inches with a wing span of 6 feet. Its overall color is brown-black with a featherless, red head, white bill and yellow feet among mature adults. Immature birds have a darker face. Although usually silent, the bird will occasionally emit a soft hiss or groan. In flight, the Turkey Vulture rocks from side to side, rarely flapping its wings which are held at a V-angle called a dihedral. Silver-gray flight feathers look lighter than the black lining feathers of the underwing. Its long tail extends beyond its legs and feet in flight Vultures are best known for their practice of feeding on dead animal carcasses, but will occasionally attack young and helpless animals as well.
Size: 5085px × 3390px
Photo credit: © Citadel images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: alberta, america, angry, beak, bill, biologist, biology, bird, birder, birding, birds, canada, carrion, claws, eater, ecology, environment, eyes, fierce, flesh, flight, gophers, hook, horizontal, lookout, meat, natural-scientist, north, ornithology, pictures, pierce, prey, red, silent, soar, soaring, stare, stealth, talons, tear, turkey, vullture, watching, wild, wilderness, wildlife, zoology
