Turkey vulture

This is a favourite frame of a turkey vulture, perched on a fence post in soft summer light.

With a bare red head and a dark, glossy back, the turkey vulture is Manitoba’s tidy cleanup crew, usually spotted rocking through the sky on long, tilted wings. Spring brings them back to southern Manitoba, where they are often seen circling over open farmland and river valleys on warm afternoons. A kettle of vultures riding the same thermal is a memorable sight for any photographer.

Turkey vultures find food largely by smell, and the bare skin of the head keeps them clean while feeding. They rarely flap, instead soaring on rising warm air, and from below their wings show a two-toned pattern of dark leading edges and pale flight feathers. They return to the province in spring, and often perch on posts and dead trees to warm up in the morning sun. They roost together at night, often on dead trees, and head south well before winter sets in.

To learn more about this bird and its habitat, visit the turkey vulture page at All About Birds.

Field notes in photographs

Turkey vulture Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the turkey vulture in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.