Mike Powell

There were a lot of Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) on Monday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge, including one that smiled for me as as it posed for a portrait. The vulture was perched in a tree that so close to the edge of the trail that I had to zoom out to capture its entire body in the second shot. I am not sure why the Black Vultures were not flying much, but during the day I spotted a dozen or so vultures roosting together in different areas of the refuge.

Generally I see Turkey Vultures, which have bright red heads, more  often than Black Vultures, though we do have both species in our area. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, “Turkey Vultures have an excellent sense of smell, but Black Vultures aren’t nearly as accomplished sniffers. To find food they soar high in the sky and keep an eye on the lower-soaring Turkey Vultures. When a Turkey Vulture’s nose detects the delicious aroma of decaying flesh and descends on a carcass, the Black Vulture follows close behind.”

With respect to the large group of Black Vultures roosting together, apparently that it normal behavior. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology notes that,  “Black Vultures are monogamous, staying with their mates for many years, all year round. They feed their young for as many as eight months after fledging, and maintain strong social bonds with their families throughout their lives. Black Vultures roost in large flocks in the evening, using the communal roost as a meeting place where foraging groups can assemble and adults can reconvene with their young.”

Perhaps the final captured captured a pre-Christmas family gathering of Black Vultures. I wonder how they celebrate the holidays.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.