Birds of North America
Puzzle 80 · Wings Above the Landscape · Page 110 in print
Turkey Vulture
Turkey Vultures find much of their food by smell. They prefer freshly dead animals and may leave a skunk’s scent glands uneaten.
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The words
Cathartes
The scientific genus of the species.
Caves
Dark protected nesting sites.
Cool Nest Site
Nest spaces can be substantially cooler than their surroundings.
Follow Flight
A paired courtship display with one bird leading.
Fresh Carrion
Newly dead animals are preferred as food.
Hollow Logs
Sheltered places used for nesting.
Kettles
Groups of soaring birds in rising air.
Rangeland
Open grazing country used for foraging.
Roost Flocks
Groups resting together outside the breeding season.
Rotting Wood
Material sometimes rearranged at the nesting spot.
Scent Glands
Parts of dead skunks that the birds may leave uneaten.
Sense of Smell
The main sense used to locate carrion.
Teetering
The side-to-side motion of slow flight.
Thermals
Rising warm air used for soaring.
Wing Spreading
A common sun-facing posture, especially in the morning.
Sources
- Turkey Vulture: Life HistoryCornell Lab of Ornithology