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Re: Odd Turkey Vulture Behavior

From:

"George M. Jett"

Reply-To:

Maryland Birds & Birding

Date:

Sun, 6 Feb 2005 17:47:56 -0500

Kurt

Probably courtship.  Many animals are pairing up this time of year, 
especially ducks and early nesting species.  Turkey Vultures may start 
nesting in March.

George

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kurt Schwarz" <>
To: <>
Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2005 4:21 PM
Subject: [MDOSPREY] Odd Turkey Vulture Behavior


> Yesterday, February 5, while in the midst of the HowCo Bird Clubs 
> mid-winter
> count, my colleagues and I observed a display from a pair of Turkey 
> Vultures,
> that we had never seen before.  We were on a farm in northern Howard 
> County
> at the time.
>
> The birds landed on a roubust, horizontal branch, and somewhat extended
> their wings.  They the faced one another, and appeared to clasp each
> other's bill.  They then bobbed their heads up and down, with bills still
> inter-locked for several seconds.  They split up, and one flew off.
>
> Does anybody have any idea just what this behavior means?  I've checked my
> 3 volumes of the Stokes' guide to behavior, no entry for Turkey Vulture.
> Sibley guide to behavior was not help, nor Kaufman's Lives of North 
> American
> Birds.
>
> Kurt Schwarz
> HowCo
> goawaybird 'at' comcast dot net
>