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Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

Photo by HeatherMiller
Published on Project Noah
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33.7748, -84.2963

Field Notes

Description:

Circled like a bird of prey.

Notes:

I need to learn how to take good shots of birds in flight. So they have color and are not black against a white sky.

Species ID Suggestions

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

Comments (5)

Dana - This is good information about Turkey Vultures. I love that I learn so much each time I visit this site.
Dana - Ah, so from the front. I guess Eagles and Hawks are not V's but flat from the front? Learned a new thing today...as always it seems. I am always learning on Project Noah. Love it! Thanks.
Thanks, Heather. Turkey Vultures only rarely soar in the extreme 'V' shape. Their usual shape is dihedral, which is more like a very flat 'v'. http://www.littletoyairplanes.com/theoryofflight/images/whyplanesfly/fullsize/10dihedral.jpg
Cornell website says this..."But if it's soaring with its wings raised in a V and making wobbly circles, it's likely a Turkey Vulture." What does the raised in a V mean? V from what angle?
Thanks Liam. You are so helpful with the birds I can't find in the books because I'm new to the bird watching! Dana - You are right. As confirmed by Liam, who always seems to know the birds. If he's not an ornithologist, he should/could be. :-)
Photographed
PublishedFebruary 1, 2012

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