November
5th, 2014. I came upon this wake (group) of Black Vultures on my morning ride.
Usually, I find vultures around a carcass close to the road and they fly off as
I approach.
This
carcass was back from the road. The vultures weren’t too bothered by my
presence and I was able to get some reasonably good images.
And
I learned some interesting terms for gatherings of vultures. According to
Wikipedia, group of vultures is called a wake, committee, venue,
kettle, or volt.
Kettle refers to vultures in flight.
Committee, Volt, and Venue refer to vultures resting in
trees.
Wake is reserved for a group of vultures that are feeding.
Identification resource:
2 comments:
My husband and I saw a black vulture resting on a tree at Arabia Mountain. Just the day before, I had been collecting seeds at Panola Mountain and the Ranger told us that black vultures use more energy to perch on a tree than they do when they are in the air, using the thermals to keep them aloft.
Interesting to see one the very next day in a tree holding on with those massive claws.
I can see that could take some energy!
I think they probably use a lot of energy just getting around on the ground too. They are a 'bulky' bird and seem to 'jump-walk', rather than walk like other birds. to heave their bulky bodies around.
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