Note: Information is dated. Do not rely on it.

Turkey Vulture, or Turkey Buzzard. A large bird of the vulture family, common in tropical and sub-tropical America and occasionally seen in the middle and New England states. It is of a dark brown color, with the wing covers lighter brown or grayish. The head and the neck of the male are naked and conspicuously red, with whitish specks; the head of the female has a scanty growth of short gray-brown feathers. Full grown birds have a length of thirty inches and a spread of wing of six feet. They are graceful birds on the wing, soaring in great circles to enormous heights. They feed on carrion, and for this reason are carefully protected in warm countries where they are allowed to come into the market places and act as scavengers. When in danger, they disgorge the foul-smelling contents of their crops upon the intruder, an act that affords effective protection. They do not build a nest, but lay their eggs on the ground, on the top of a stump, or on any convenient spot. The nestlings are yellowish-white.

---