Dee At 8 A.M.: Coragyps atratus

Showing posts with label Coragyps atratus. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 17, 2025

September 17, 2025

I am known as a Northern Racoon

Having breakfast with my Black Vulture friend

I am omnivorous, and so is he

Fresh or aged, we will carrion till the end.

Location: Cocoa, Leroy Wright Recreation Area

Sources: https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Procyon_lotor/

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Tuesday, September 16, 2025

September 16, 2025

We are a pair of Sandhill Cranes

Having breakfast with our friends, the Black Vultures

We get along well

But sometimes the smell

Makes us question their Epicurean culture.

Location: Cocoa, Leroy Wright Recreation Area

Sources: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/epicurean
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sandhill_Crane/overview
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Vulture

Thursday, February 2, 2023

February 2, 2023

We are known as Black Vultures

Most humans think we're smelly and profane

But we actually spend much of our time preening

And bathing in shallow water, and even in rain.

Location: Goodwin Wildlife Management Area, Fellsmere

Sources: https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/blkvul/cur/behavior#selfmaint (requires paid subscription - but totally worth it if you want information on ALL of the birds of the world!)

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Saturday, August 6, 2022

August 6, 2022

This is a Black Vulture feather

The second photo shows several

Although it looks like some vultures exploded,

They just molted, it's nothing distressful.

Location: Little League Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/the-basics-feather-molt/

Photo and text © 2022 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Tuesday, August 3, 2021

August 3, 2021

I'm known as a Black Vulture

I've got no feathers on my head

It helps to keep the goop from sticking

When I'm eating something that's dead.

I only take small bites of a large carcass,

I don't try to swallow it all one time

You should never throw a large carcass to a Pelican -

It might tear open their pouch and they'll die.

Location: Goodwin Wildlife Management Area, Fellsmere

Sources: https://www.wildlifecenter.org/vulture-facts

Sunday, December 6, 2020

December 6, 2020

I am known as a Black Vulture

I'm more aggressive than my Turkey Vulture counterpart

I'll eat dead stuff if I find it, but I'll also

Kill and eat things that have a beating heart.

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/birds/raptors-and-vultures/vultures/

Photo and text © 2020 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Monday, August 6, 2018

August 6, 2018

Location: Lakeland, Circle B Bar Reserve

I am known as a Black Vulture
I've got skin, not feathers on my head.
I'm in the same family as the California Condor,
But there's far more of me than them.

Friday, January 27, 2017

January 27, 2017

Location: Fellsmere, Oak street

This was one of the oddest mixed flocks I've ever seen. This is just a small part of the flock, but there were many Black Vultures, Turkey Vultures, and White Ibis all feeding together, In general, vultures eat carrion, and ibises are tactile feeders who probe for worms and the like. They have completely different feeding styles and behaviours. I could not tell what they were eating, and didn't want to get close enough to disturb them, but the vultures clearly were eating too. I dunno. Maybe they banded together and were trying to make a peace and harmony type political statement, which I am really cool with.

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson