Turkey Vulture and Yellow Sky
by Karen Adams
Title
Turkey Vulture and Yellow Sky
Artist
Karen Adams
Medium
Photograph - Fine Art Digital Prints
Description
The turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), also known in some North American regions as the turkey buzzard (or just buzzard), and in some areas of the Caribbean as the John crow or carrion crow, is a vulture that is the most widespread of the New World vultures.
One of three species in the genus Cathartes of the family Cathartidae, the turkey vulture ranges from southern Canada to the southernmost tip of South America. It inhabits a variety of open and semi-open areas, including subtropical forests, wetlands, pastures, and deserts.
The turkey vulture is a scavenger and feeds almost exclusively on carrion. It finds its food using its keen eyes and sense of smell, flying low enough to detect the gases produced by the beginnings of the process of decay in dead animals. In flight, it uses thermals to move through the air, flapping its wings infrequently. It roosts in large community groups. Lacking a syrinx—the vocal organ of birds—its only vocalizations are grunts or low hisses. It nests in caves, hollow trees, or thickets. Each year it generally raises two chicks, which it feeds by regurgitation. It has very few natural predators and in the United States, the vulture receives legal protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
It was evening and the sun was setting on a warm March day in Ohio. I was walking back home and noticed a very quiet and peaceful feel. I look up to see this large Turkey Vulture sitting in the still bare branches of the wetland trees. The sun was setting behind him and so its dark silhouette against the sky was all that was visible. He sat there for several moments and then, suddenly, he pushed off with such force that the limb he was sitting on broke behind him and he soared out over the water.
I did several versions of this scene which give each a different mood. If you would like to see those, please look at my Series Gallery for all of those.
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Uploaded
April 27th, 2016
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