The Turkey Vulture-Cathartes aura, is also known as the Turkey buzzard. It is a scavenger, as is the Condor, and it feeds on carrion. Unlike the Condor, it has a good sense of smell and using that sense, can easily find dead animals in the process of decay. Like the condor, they also have great eyesight and can see dead animals, such as road kill from high above. They are often confused with Condors and Wild Turkeys.
Similar to condors, it uses thermal air currents to fly, and they flap their wings infrequently. Their wingspan is 69”. They nest in caves, tree hollows and other protected places, sometimes on the ground in thickets. Although they are not endangered, they do have protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
