204 



The Falcon-like Birds 



Bendire says of the California Vulture : "Its flight is graceful beyond comparison 

 as it sails majestically overhead in gradually contracting or expanding circles, 

 now gently falling with the wind and again rising easily against it, without a 

 perceptible motion of its pinions. While on the wing it looks more than the 

 peer of any of our birds, the Golden Eagle not excepted." 



The American Vultures are distributed into five genera and some nine or 

 ten species, of which three genera and the same number of species are represented 

 in the United States. With the exception of the northern portion of their range, 

 they are mainly resident throughout the year wherever found. 



Turkey Buzzard. One of the most familiar and widely distributed members 

 of the group is the Turkey Vulture, or Turkey Buzzard (Cathartes aura), which is 

 found in two minor geographic races over nearly the whole of temperate and 



tropical America, including the West Indies, 



IV. \TVx v<" \"-. ' . >.. x * 



ranging south to Patagonia, and north, more 

 or less regularly, to southern New England, 

 New York, the Saskatchewan, and British 

 Columbia. They are large birds, from 

 twenty-six to some thirty-two inches in 

 length, with an expanse of wing of about 

 six feet, the general coloration being blackish 

 above with a greenish and violet gloss, and 

 uniform dull black below. The typical form 

 (C. aura), which occurs southward from the 

 state of Vera Cruz, Mexico, is relatively small 

 and has the feathers of the back with narrow 

 and poorly defined brown borders, while, the 

 color of the upper sides of the shafts of the 

 primaries is soon bleached to old ivory or yellowish. The northern form (C. 

 a. septentrionalis], which is the one from northern Mexico northward, is of 

 larger size and has the brown borders to the feathers of the upper parts 

 more pronounced, while the upper side of the shafts of the primaries usually 

 remains permanently dusky brown. In both the naked skin of the head is 

 livid crimson in life. "They look their best aloft," says Bendire, speaking of 

 the northern race, "as their flight is exceedingly easy and graceful; while the 

 apparent absence of all effort as they sail in stately manner overhead, in ever 

 changing circles, and without any apparent movement of their well-shaped wings, 

 makes them really attractive objects to watch ; but let them once descend to the 

 ground or alight on a tree, and attractiveness ceases ; now they are anything but 

 prepossessing, and it requires no effort to place them where they properly belong, 

 'among the scavengers of the soil.'" 



Although the Turkey Vulture feeds very largely upon carrion, and in this 

 capacity is of great benefit as a scavenger, it is said to prefer fresh meat when 

 this can be procured. "The reason of their eating it when decayed," according 

 to Dr. Ralph, is "that they cannot kill game themselves and their bills are not 

 strong enough to tear the tough skin of many animals until it becomes soft by 



tr . ' 



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FlG. 69. Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura. 



