Rare Bird Sighting

A Turkey Vulture was recently spotted circling over the south side of Mt. Sutro. Although these vultures are common elsewhere, sightings are rare on the mountain.

Turkey Vultures are usually found in relatively open areas near woodlands, which are important both for nesting and roosting. They generally avoid enclosed forested areas like most of Mt. Sutro, which may hamper their ability to take flight. At their size—wingspans of 63–72 inches and a body length of 24–32 inches—they aren't exactly quick off the ground. They tend to favor more open areas.

They also don’t love hard flying. More often, they are seen lazily riding thermals with wings held upward in a shallow V, rocking side to side in flight and rarely flapping.

While "Turkey Vulture" is its name—its red head does resemble that of a wild male turkey—carrion is its game. The bird’s featherless head helps keep it clean while feeding inside carcasses, and its excellent sense of smell and sharp eyesight are built for locating dead animals.

Encountering a Turkey Vulture on the ground isn’t exactly pleasant: as Birds of San Francisco (Fisher, Morlan) notes, they’re known to regurgitate their rotting meals and spit at intruders when threatened.

In California, the major vulture species are the California Condor and the Turkey Vulture. (The Black Vulture is occasionally spotted but considered an accidental species.) Some Turkey Vultures stay in the area year-round, while others migrate to warmer regions during winter.

So why did this one appear on Sutro?

It’s possible that the recent clearing of trees on Mt. Sutro has created larger open areas—more favorable to vultures of this kind. Maybe we’ll start seeing them more often.

Or maybe this one’s found a new niche in the local ecosystem—Mt. Sutro’s very own garbage collector.

Hear the Turkey Vulture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB1GyHGumkQ[Note: public use photo is attached]

-Adapted from a piece by Mark Anthony Posth

On a recent Saturday in May, finishing a long hike, I strolled along the Fairy Gate trail and then out to Edgewood entertained by one of the leading avian choruses in the area. I consistently find this area of the mountain to have the most birds. 

In under 10 minutes I heard Robins, Sparrows, Finches, Warblers and more—9 different species in all. While I’m sure the turkey vulture would like to have contributed, I don’t think its hisses would have added much to the occasion.