13 



DATE- 



Turkey Vulture A.O.U.NO.- 325 



( Cathartes aura septentrionalis ) ** 

 April 23, 1933 



HO.- 



INCUBATIOK- Fresh 



SIZES- 2.75 x 1.95 

 2.79 x 1.96 



SITUATION- The birds are rather scarce in the 

 extreme jjh west portion of Southwest Va. where 

 this set of eggs was taken. The only Places 

 suitable for nesting are crevices and" small 

 "caves" in the rocks near the tops of the moun- 

 tains. The nest which contained thi s particular 

 set of eggs was situated in a "cave" in the 

 rocks near the top of Stone Mt. about four 

 miles f->'om Big atone Gap, Va. The hole in the 

 rocks had approximately the following measure- 

 ments: width, 10 T ; length, 20 * and heighth 5*. 

 Toward the farther end the roof sloped down to 

 about 2| or 3' - at this end, some leaves had 

 fallen down onto the floor of the "cave* 1 thro 1 

 a small opening. On these leaves the female 

 Turkey Buzzard had laid her eggs. 



I happened to be T possum hunting 

 when I found the nest. When we entered the 

 hole the bi~d was on the nest and instead of 

 trying^ to escape she lowered he- head and began 

 to vomit - the odor was npriBBcada±gx unbea-able 

 so we decided to wait until dawn to get the e~gs 

 hoping the bird would have left the nest by that 

 time. At dawn we did return and secured* the eggs 

 the female having i e f f the nest. 



(Cathartes aura) A.0..U. Checklist 1983 



