Turkey Vulture 321 



One day, a lady of my acquaintance, while sitting alone in her room, was 

 much startled when a beef-bone fell down the chimney and rolled out on the 

 hearth. Going outside, she discovered a Turkey Buzzard peering down the 

 chimney in quest of his prize. These perches, by the way, are often occupied 

 by Buzzards, who expand their wings and stand in the smoke, undoubtedly 

 enjoying the heat that comes from below. On two occasions I have seen these 

 birds take such positions when their feathers were almost entirely frozen to- 

 gether by sleet that had recently fallen. To a limited extent, our southern 

 Vultures feed on living animals. Newly-born pigs are killed by them, and, in 

 some of the bird-colonies guarded by the National Association of Audubon 

 Societies, young Herons and Ibises are often eaten. 



There has been much discussion throughout the years as to whether the 

 Turkey Vulture finds its food by sight or by the sense of smell. Various experi- 

 ments have been undertaken, with a view of determining this fact. It is, 

 today, a generally accepted theory that the eye of the V^ulture alone leads it 

 to its prey. 



Although Turkey Vultures hunt singly, a flock of them quickly collects when 

 food in quantity becomes available. Over the coveted carcass they flop and 

 hiss and even fight in a bloodless sort of way. Aside from this hissing and an 

 occasional low grunt, the birds apj)ear to be voiceless. Although in no sense 

 gregarious by day, except when the common interest of food discovered brings 

 them together, Turkey Buzzards dearly love to come together at night, and 

 there are many 'Buzzard roosts' throughout the length and breadth of the land. 

 For long years the favorite spots are thus occupied by all the Buzzards in the 

 section. Sometimes these roosts consist merely of a small group of dead trees 

 in the woods or an unfrequented field, but more often they are deep in some 

 swamp, where intrusion by human disturbers is not probable. 



Along the coasts of South Carolina and Georgia there are extensive salt 

 marshes. Through these are scattered little islands densely covered with growths 

 of deciduous trees, yuccas, and vines. Some of these are famous Buzzard roosts, 

 and old men of the country will tell you thai the birds have been coming there 

 every night since they were boys. 



The nesting-place of the Turkey Buzzard is usually a hollow log lying in 

 I lie woods or swamp. .\s a rule, no attempt at nest-building is made, the eggs 

 being deposited on the rotten wood or the leaves that ma\' have blown in 

 through the opening. Hollow stumps are frequently chosen as the proper 

 home for the young. I have found the eggs of these birds on a level with the 

 ground in tiic iiollow snag of an old tree, the entrance to which was at the top, 

 14 feet above. Rarely, nests ha\e i)een reported in deserted cabins in the woods 

 or in old hog-pens. 



In the little limestone ca\'es, or dry 'sink-hole>' of central Floritla many 

 Buzzards' nests may be found. 



When one approaches the nest of a Turkex' X'ulture in the W(M-»(1s, the bird 



