Two species of vulture occur in Florida, the Turkey Vulture and the Black Vulture. Turkey Vultures have reddish heads while the heads of Black Vultures are black. The Turkey Vulture holds its wings in a slight "V" while soaring, whereas the Black Vulture's wings are held straight. The tail of the Black Vulture is usually more fanned out in flight and is shorter and broader than that of the Turkey Vulture. The Black Vulture flaps its wings more and soars less than its relative. From below it has whitish patches near the tips of the wings, whereas the wings of the Turkey Vulture lack these patches. Both species deposit their eggs on the ground under cover, in a hollow tree trunk or cave, or beneath palmetto thickets. No nests are built. Vultures usually lay 2 eggs which both sexes incubate for about 40 days. Young are fed regurgitated food by both parents and are ready to fly in about 8 to 10 weeks. These vultures feed almost exclusively on carrion, locating it by soaring high in the skies on thermals. From this vantage they can spot carcasses while Black Vultures keeps an eye on Turkey Vultures, who have a more developed sense of smell, and follow them to the food. Black Vultures often gather in numbers at carcasses often chasing off the Turkey Vultures from the area. Their carrion diet includes feral hogs, poultry, cattle, donkeys, raccoons, coyotes, opossums, striped skunks, and armadillos. Sometimes Black Vultures wade into shallow water to feed on floating carrion or to catch small fish. Black Vultures occasionally kill skunks, opossums, night-herons, leatherback turtle hatchlings, and livestock, including young pigs, lambs, and calves. Unlike their Black Vulture relatives, Turkey Vultures almost never attack living prey.Thankfully for both species, vultures appear to have excellent immune systems, happily feasting on carcasses without contracting botulism, anthrax, cholera, or salmonella. (Florida Wildlife Commission & The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.)
