Black Vulture Juveniles

This photo is of a pair of juvenile Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) that were brought to the Raptor Rehabilitation Program at the Memphis Zoo & Aquarium after spending several weeks at the Vet School at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi. The birds were found while quite young, and while they were said to be "orphans", they should be correctly identified as "kidnapped". Vultures generally nest on the ground or in deserted buildings, and are often picked up by well meaning individuals who think they have been abandoned by their parents. Actually vultures are very good parents (as are most raptors), and the birds are fine. They should be left alone. These birds will be kept for a few weeks and then released near a large vulture roost near the Hatchie River about 50 miles north of Memphis.

While both species of vultures are found in the Mid-South area, the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) seems to be the most common. Both species are year-round residents, although the population grows during the winter months when northern birds migrate to the warmer areas of the US where food is available. The large roosts around the area contain both species and they seem to get along fine in these mixed groups. The large roost where these birds will be released contains well over 100 birds of both species.