The Turkey Vulture and Its Young 



185 



When hatched, the young Vulture is covered with perfectly white down, 

 excepting the face, sides of the head and the legs below the knees. Over 

 these parts the skin is of a dull leathery black. The e^^es are almost black, 

 with a slight tinge of gray. 



Young Turkey Vultures at a very early age display more intelli- 

 gence than the young of any other raptores with which I am familiar. 

 Their eyes are open from the first, and in less than a week they move 

 about in their home, hiss vigorously, and show considerable alertness, but 



TURKEY VULTURE, FOUR WEEKS OLD 



do not seem to have any fear at that age. At two weeks they show a 

 great increase in size and weight, but otherwise have changed but little in 

 appearance. They now resent being disturbed and snap at the intruder, 

 and as they get older become quite pugnacious, rushing at one with ex- 

 tended wings, uttering continually their loud hissing sound, which comes 

 the nearest to any vocal performance I have ever heard from these birds. 

 Their beaks are quite sharp and capable of injuring an unprotected 

 hand. 



On being approached they retire to the farthest corner of their den 

 and there disgorge the contents of the stomach or crop. This seems to 

 be an easy matter with this bird, and by this means I think the young are 

 ■fed by the parents. None of their food seems to be left about the nest, 

 though as the young become larger the odor of the place becomes very 

 offensive. 



At the age of four weeks the young Vultures begin to show signs of 



