Buzzards

[desertrat]

Interesting fact I learned from a certain man in the roofing business. He was called to inspect the work done on a certain local business lately because the recent work apparently leaked. As he climbed up on the roof a flock of buzzards took off. Upon inspection he figured out the birds had stripped off all the tape used to transition between joints. It was gone. Nests, just for the heck of it or as food?

 

[withrespect]

Interesting fact I learned from a certain man in the roofing business. He was called to inspect the work done on a certain local business lately because the recent work apparently leaked. As he climbed up on the roof a flock of buzzards took off. Upon inspection he figured out the birds had stripped off all the tape used to transition between joints. It was gone. Nests, just for the heck of it or as food?

 

[Clem_Shady]

Interesting fact I learned from a certain man in the roofing business. He was called to inspect the work done on a certain local business lately because the recent work apparently leaked. As he climbed up on the roof a flock of buzzards took off. Upon inspection he figured out the birds had stripped off all the tape used to transition between joints. It was gone. Nests, just for the heck of it or as food?

Please name said business (food establishment most likely).

I might be able to answer this.

 

[desertrat]

Please name said business (food establishment most likely).

I might be able to answer this.

Irrelevant and names left out for a reason, but it wasn't a food business.

 

[jenni4]

no idea why they do that but they also pull the striping and windshild wipers off trucks with trailers parked at the Wye River boat launch.

 

[desertrat]

no idea why they do that but they also pull the striping and windshild wipers off trucks with trailers parked at the Wye River boat launch.

Weird.

 

[frequentflier]

Interesting fact I learned from a certain man in the roofing business. He was called to inspect the work done on a certain local business lately because the recent work apparently leaked. As he climbed up on the roof a flock of buzzards took off. Upon inspection he figured out the birds had stripped off all the tape used to transition between joints. It was gone. Nests, just for the heck of it or as food?

Maybe they had the munchies?

 

[Pete]

I heard once that they would swoop down and grab ducks in their talons right off a serine pond.

 

[frequentflier]

I heard once that they would swoop down and grab ducks in their talons right off a serine pond.

Don't buzzards eat dead things?

 

[PrepH4U]

I heard once that they would swoop down and grab ducks in their talons right off a serine pond.

Are these ponds outside a pharmaceutical company? :shrug:

 

[desertrat]

Don't buzzards eat dead things?

Maybe they figured they could just tape them up and then eat them. Keep your eyes to the skies for buzzards with tape.

 

[Rael]

Don't buzzards eat dead things?

I'm pretty sure Turkey vultures do exclusively, but I think black vultures have been known to occasionally take live, slow moving animals.

@DR, I looked this up just to see what I could find. This report is a little dated, but says they'll tear AND consume roof shingles. And there's more Type in "roof" in your search, it's on page 8.

Nasty...

 

[desertrat]

I'm pretty sure Turkey vultures do exclusively, but I think black vultures have been known to occasionally take live, slow moving animals.

@DR, I looked this up just to see what I could find. This report is a little dated, but says they'll tear AND consume roof shingles. And there's more Type in "roof" in your search, it's on page 8.

Nasty...

For sure. That was informative, thanks. What is up with them and protecting them?

 

[Rael]

For sure. That was informative, thanks. What is up with them and protecting them?

I had the impression it's because they serve a purpose (cleaning up road kill) .

What's also weird is that to get rid of large groups, they'll hang dead vulture carcasses nearby. Vultures don't eat dead vultures. :shrug:

 

[PrepH4U]

I'm pretty sure Turkey vultures do exclusively, but I think black vultures have been known to occasionally take live, slow moving animals.

@DR, I looked this up just to see what I could find. This report is a little dated, but says they'll tear AND consume roof shingles. And there's more Type in "roof" in your search, it's on page 8.

Nasty...

The turkey vultures always travel with the black vultures. The black vultures have stronger beaks and nails. They are able to tear into the carcus and rip it open, after they are done eating then the turkey vultures can dine. The two different vultures do not always get along and it's fun to watch the turf wars in my pasture.
My two black headed vultures that we gave shelter to last year are frequent visitors and mostly still hang around with the horses. I don't mind them so much as they are really very personable. It's when the whole extended family and the rest of the tribe come in to roost is when we have words. We always know who the trespassers are because they are afraid of us just clapping. The grown babies just stand there and look at us.
While I was somewhat forced to research them I did learn that vultures prefer dead meat BUT if they are hungry enough they will take small live animals. They are big fraidy cats, my chickens had fun chasing the parents off if they were on the ground in the pasture.

 

[PrepH4U]

They are protected BUT if you happen to have a paintball gun and shoot the trees and not the buzzards, they will fly off as they do not like the noise. Another way is to clap your hands and yell or make a slingshot and shoot small chunks of crushed ice at them. They hate to be bothered and they get annoyed and roost somewhere else.

 

[Rael]

The turkey vultures always travel with the black vultures. The black vultures have stronger beaks and nails. They are able to tear into the carcus and rip it open, after they are done eating then the turkey vultures can dine. The two different vultures do not always get along and it's fun to watch the turf wars in my pasture.
My two black headed vultures that we gave shelter to last year are frequent visitors and mostly still hang around with the horses. I don't mind them so much as they are really very personable. It's when the whole extended family and the rest of the tribe come in to roost is when we have words. We always know who the trespassers are because they are afraid of us just clapping. The grown babies just stand there and look at us.
While I was somewhat forced to research them I did learn that vultures prefer dead meat BUT if they are hungry enough they will take small live animals. They are big fraidy cats, my chickens had fun chasing the parents off if they were on the ground in the pasture.

I was trying to remember who it was that had the vultures in the barn, glad you chimed in.

Turkey vultures also take dead animals, or just the black vultures?

I'm laughing thinking of the chickens chasing them.

 

[Clem_Shady]

There is a pecking order to nature.

We had a dead deer in a field.

Whenever the eagles were eating at it the buzzards had to stand back and watch.