The (Ugly) Birds
I've noticed for several years now that there seem to be more buzzards (properly, they are actually vultures) around of late. There have been a number of them flying around the Crabitat. Very large turkey vultures, the ugly ones with the red, featherless heads. According to the AP, there has been a rise in the numbers of the nasty creatures all over the country. And they have taken to taking live prey in some areas.
But their proliferation is making them unwelcome, from high-rises in Florida to ranches in Texas, denying them the respect they may deserve as Mother Nature's vacuum cleaners. Think roadkill.
"We'd have a lot more smelly dead bodies around the place if they weren't there to clean it up," Tizard said.
But Texas ranchers increasingly are telling wildlife authorities that black vultures — the more aggressive version of the two birds and reaching 25 inches in length with wingspans of 5 feet — are killing calves, lambs and young goats.
"They're prospering," said Tizard, who's studied birds for more than 40 years. "Clearly if they're killing cows that otherwise would live, that indeed is a cause for some significant concern."
City commissioners in Madisonville, about 100 miles north of Houston, gave their blessing in January to shooting vultures blamed for property damage as long as folks obtain the proper federal permits.
Vultures are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Just last month, officials in Barstow, Fla., moved to exclude them from protection on a local bird sanctuary island.
Randy Smith, a San Antonio-based biologist with the Texas Wildlife Services Program, said complaints about buzzards have soared.
"Ten years ago, it was a rarity, but it's pretty frequent nowadays," he said. "Usually we'll end up assisting the rancher. Nine times out of 10, we'll assist him getting a permit."
While the experts maintain that the increasingly large population of hungry vultures poses no danger to humans, I'd only point out one thing. (And this is not a joke, incidentally). The spot in my town where a large flock of the vultures is always circling is over the local retirement home. I'm not saying they would grab a senior citizen, mind you. But it does make you wonder.
By Americaneocon, Sunday, 20 April , 2008 @ 8:06 pm
It does make me wonder. My favorite bird is the California Red Tailed Hawk, of which I’m always looking for when I’m out and about, especially on hikes.
But the turkey vultures seem to outnumber them, or at least they’re less discerning about where they circle about. Actually, while nasty birds, they do look supremely majestic when they’re catching the updrafts. So, for them to have to hunt once in a while, rather than just gorge aweful carrion, is kind of cool in the scheme of things, in the great chain of life.
By MikeM, Sunday, 20 April , 2008 @ 8:19 pm
A few weeks ago, I heard a news report about vulture problems in Spain. It seems the EU has ordered shepherds to gather up any sheep that die and send them to a lab to be tested for the sheep version of "mad cow". This cost the shepherds money and has deprived vultures of a major source of food. Now the vultures are attacking sleeping sheep. Now your saying it’s happening in Texas. It’s enough to make you wonder if Dave Barry was right that the animals are on the verge of rising up against the humans.(And as for the retirement home being circled by vultures — perhaps they smell death.)