Environmental Factors

Environmental Factors

Natural Enemies are easy for Turkey Vultures to avoid in Ontario. Nesting on cliffs and rocky outcroppings means only an occasional snake or Herring Gull finds their nest to eat eggs or chicks. In other areas, where they nest on the ground, they are not as safe from predators. Highway Hazards are a serious threat to Turkey Vultures. They don't carry food back to their roosts or nests, and prefer to feed on dead animals where they find them. They are sometimes hit by cars while feeding beside a highway. Shrinking Habitat also makes life hard for Turkey Vultures. Humans are cutting down forests and paving wilderness. Like most wild animals, the Turkey Vulture needs wild spaces to survive. They also need other animals around to eat. Human Prejudice and Human Activity are real problems for the Turkey Vulture. While there seems to be no evidence for it, many people still think vultures spread disease. Most humans think Vultures are disgusting. We have trouble accepting a creature that eats dead bodies. That seems funny, since we do the same thing. We just cook ours. People used to think Turkey Vultures killed farm animals. Some large Vultures will kill food, but Turkey Vultures don't. It's hard to kill a cow if you're only 30 cm. long. Because of human beliefs, Turkey Vultures were shot in great numbers in the past. They also had problems with eggs that couldn't hatch because of DDT used in the 1950s and 1960s. Today they can be poisoned if they eat rats and mice killed by poison baits. Back to Turkey Vultures of Eastern North America. [LH] {BI} {EH}