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Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

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Some people think vultures are ugly. More than just another ‘buzzard’
Turkey Vultures are part of Mother Nature’s Cleanup Crew.

Turkey Vulture (Royalty free Unsplash.com)

Turkey vultures have a large-wingspan up to six feet. These good sized birds (nearly three feet in length) can weigh up to five pounds.

Body feathers are dark, brownish-black with silvery-gray flight feathers on the underside. In flight, the bird seems to wobble, infrequently flapping its wings, and relying on the thermal air currents to carry it low to the ground.

The head looks small in proportion to the bird’s body and is a distinctive gnarly red with few feathers. Juveniles have gray gnarly heads.

Diet and Prey

The beak is interesting because you can see through it from one side to another–the nostrils are not divided. Unlike most birds, Turkey vultures have an excellent sense of smell to help them identify decay.

The relatively short, hooked, ivory-colored beak is weak. The vulture cannot tear the tough hides of larger animals. To solve this problem the vultures hang out with other bigger birds and clean up after.

They rarely, if ever, kill. Turkey vultures typically feed on recent kills, roadside kills, some fruits and vegetables, and fish stranded in shallow water.

Turkey vultures have flat feet that are relatively weak. The feet are poorly adapted for grasping and walking. On the ground it has an ungainly, hopping walk.

The tracks measure between 3.5 and 5.5 inches in length (including claws).

Predators and Defense

The turkey vulture has few natural predators and keen eye sight. Predators include golden and bald eagles, great horned owls, red tailed hawks, and nests can be ravaged by raccoons, opossums, and occasionally foxes.

Turkey vulture in flight (Courtesy of ODFW)

Defense

Vultures lack a syrinx which is the vocal organ for birds. Rather than graceful twitters, it grunts and hisses low with its. Young hungry birds will often grunt; adults during the courtship display will also grunt.

This bird uses rather creative defense strategies when protecting its nest, fighting, or trying to make a quick exit. The bird will hiss when feeling threatened or when fighting for a carcass.

If it cannot flee, the vulture will feign death or vomit. Even the babies will hiss and vomit. This foul-smelling substance can sting face and eyes.  

Nesting

Turkey vultures nest in sheltered areas that could include crevices, under rocks, caves, dense thickets, old buildings, and hollow trees. The vultures will nest in caves, but generally will not enter the cave except during the breeding season.

A traditional nest is not built. Eggs will rest on a flat area.

Let’s Party

These vultures are gregarious. During the mating process, several birds will gather in a circle and perform a ritualized hopping dance around the circle with wings partially spread.

They will communally roost on dead trees and manmade structures at night. They are able to lower their nighttime body temperature by about 6 degrees C. which reduces heart and respiratory rates, and blood pressure.

Range and Habitat

Turkey vultures are a permanent resident in the southern U.S. and is widespread over open country, shrub and grasslands, deserts, foothills, subtropical forest. It prefers open or semi-open areas and generally avoids heavily forested areas.

Welcome sign of spring

Vultures are a typical sign of spring and what would be spring without some cleaning? Vultures are a critical part of Mother Nature’s Clean-up crew.

As much as we might want to ignore it… cleaning up is a critical task that some body has to do. The Turkey vulture is a real tough cookie. We know it is tough… after all how many birds do you know of whose droppings will kill trees? Amazing.

REFERENCES:
–Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (https://myodfw.com/wildlife-viewing/species/raptors)
–Wikipedia, Turkey Vulture (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey_vulture)
–Audubon Society Field Guide (https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/turkey-vulture)

Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus Columba)

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This plump 13-inch, pigeon-shaped seabird is full of surprises. Let’s start with hanging upside down above the seafloor probing for prey.

Pigeon Guillemot during breeding season (photo courtesy of ODFW)

Is the Guillemot doing this just to impress us? Hardly. This guy is just a really strong swimmer and diver and dives to hunt for fish and invertebrates.

Diving Alone

The Guillemot often dives alone and sometimes in smaller groups. When diving, it prefers depths from 50 to 70 feet. Dives can last over two minutes with short intermissions between dives.

Unlike most other diving birds, this one uses both its feet and wings which beat at a rate of 2.1/s for propulsion. They have been recorded traveling 246 feet horizontally and as much as 150 feet below.

Big Eaters

This bird is known to forage before dawn and after sunset, particularly if they are feeding nestlings.   

The adult Guillemot requires about 20 percent of its weight in food each day (about 90 grams). They eat primarily fish, but will also consume seafloor creatures such as mollusks, crustaceans, crabs, shrimp, and worms.

Even the nestlings are big eaters.  Parents bring the young an average of 16 food loads each day (a load may be just a single fish).

Dressing for Love

During breeding season this bird gets dressed up with striking red feet, legs, and around the mouth (almost like lips). They also sport large white patches that contrast with their black iridescent feathers.

Non-breeding foliage mottled grey and black on top with white on the under areas. Non-breeding juveniles will look the same.

Bonding

These birds not only get dressed up for breeding season but they also know how to turn up the romance. Breeding pairs will play chase “water games” and trill in a romantic duet.

They form long-term breeding bonds that last over years, with a few that occasionally divorce. Kind of makes one wonder how this occurs and if there is an underwater divorce court.

Guillemots are very vocal even outside of the breeding season. They use several whistle-like calls. Some of which include head, wing, and tail waggling displays.

Unmated males will also call for females, pairs will also communicate, during nesting, and birds will scream when predators are near.   

Predators

Guillemots breed on rocky shore areas, islands, and cliffs typically close to shallower water common on the Oregon coast. This habitat provides some protection from predators.

The most common cause of egg loss is through other birds such as crows, gulls, eagles, owls. Raccoons and other mammalian predators can also be a problem.

In the water there have been reports that these birds have been taken by orca and giant Pacific Octopi.

Habitat

Pigeon Guillemots are found from California up through Siberia. They overwinter along the Pacific coast north.

In some areas they are considered indicator species and the populations are monitored. To learn more about this breeding survey in Washington see: Salish Sea Guillemot Network, Pigeon Guillemot Breeding Survey (http://www.pigeonguillemot.org/).

#2 photo free download https://pnommensen.com/

REFERENCES:
–Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife (https://myodfw.com/wildlife-viewing/species/murres-auklets-and-puffins)
–California Dept. of Fish & Wildlife (https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=1825)
–Washington Dept. of Fish & Wildlife (https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/at-risk/species-recovery/seabirds#resources)
–Ebird.org (https://ebird.org/species/piggui)
–Wikipedia, Pigeon guillemot (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigeon_guillemot)

Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata)

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The most common scoter, or ocean duck, along the Pacific coast is the Surf scoter (Melanitta perspicillata). This salt water duck is found from Alaska south into north-central Canada, and all along the west and east coast of the U.S.

Surf scoter (courtesy of ODFW)

The Surf scoter overwinters by the thousands off the Oregon coast and are abundant here from fall through spring.

The bulk of this species overwinter in boreal forests in Alaska and Canada near freshwater lakes. Birds may also visit large lakes and reservoirs west of the Cascades in the fall.

Identification

Surf scoters are the smallest of three similar species (white-winged, black, and surf), which are often found in the same habitat.

Adult male Surf Scoters are around 19-inches in length and just over 2.3 lbs. Females come in just a bit shorter.

Adult male feathers are predominantly black with two white patches (forehead and nape). The colorful wedge-shaped bill is highly visible with white, yellow, red-orange, and black.

Adult females and subadults have a dark brown back, lighter brown belly, and light-colored patches on cheeks and nape.

Generally, compared to the other two species, the head profile is more flat, and bill heavier. The surf scoter has completely dark wings (visible in flight).  

Breeding

The species, however, does not breed in Oregon. Surf Scoters breed in Alaska and across north-central Canada.

Most form pairs before arriving at the breeding ground with males and females migrating together. Flight is strong and close to the waves.

Individuals appear to adjust their migration schedule so that they meet at the wintering and staging grounds at the same time. This helps the birds optimize reproduction.  

Females build nests that are bowl-shaped and lined with debris and down. Up to nine eggs in each nest are incubated for nearly a month by the female.

Nests are tucked into crowded breeding grounds and occasionally brood errors are made. The synchronous egg hatch must be a totally amazing event to witness.  

Food

Surf scoters forage in the surf, typically in open waters less than 33 feet deep. They dive in regularly flooded intertidal and subtidal zones.

While mussels are an important part of their diet these ducks will feed on any invertebrate found in or near the near shoreline sediments. This could include insects, crustaceans, herring spawn, coral, algae, shrimp, oysters, crabs, squid, clams, and more.

They generally capture and swallow their food whole under water. These birds will often form loose flocks to forage that move in irregular, wavy lines. They will often do this as a group, or loose flock.

Dive duration varies based on prey, water conditions, season, etc. This duck will also shift their diet as needed in winter and spring to more abundant prey.

The Matter of Molting

All waterfowl molt their feathers one or more times a year. For Surf scoters this process begins before migration in late July and lasts for about four weeks.

Surf scoter travels to a molting site (different than the wintering or nesting sites) in bays, inlets, or estuaries. These sites would most likely have easily available food and lower predation risk.

Sea ducks are vulnerable during the molt because they lose their flight feathers. Brightly-colored male plumage is also replaced by duller plumage.

Predators and Survival

These birds typically winter in marine habitats near rocky shores. Predators can include bald eagles, golden eagles, and carnivorous mammals.

Birds are particularly sensitive to oil spills. Spills impact food supplies and are known to kill many birds through starvation.

In the last 50 years, the population has somewhat declined but is not considered vulnerable.

REFERENCES:
–Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, Swans, Ducks, and Geese (https://myodfw.com/wildlife-viewing/species/swans-ducks-and-geese)
–USDI Fish and Wildlife Service (https://www.fws.gov/r5gomp/gom/habitatstudy/metadata/scoter_models.htm and https://www.fws.gov/birds/bird-enthusiasts/bird-watching/waterfowl-identification/surf-scoter.php)
–Wikipedia, Surf Scoter (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surf_scoter)