Barfalomew (not on display) was acquired June 1, 2002 .  Barfalomew was found abandoned as a chick.  He was brought to a rehab center to be raised and then released.  When it came time to release Barfalomew he immediately returned to the feet of the people who raised him.  He was then sent to another rehabilitation center where he had no human contact while being mixed in with other turkey vultures. After one month of no human contact they tried to release him again.  This time he still didn’t leave.  When he stayed around the feet of the rehabber he was deemed un-releasable due to being an imprint bird.  Barf will live the rest of his life here at the Muskoka Wildlife centre being a part of our live outreach program.

Turkey Vulture (Catharies aura)

Dining and Dwelling

Can been found drifting inside thermals (columns of sun-warmed air rising from the land below), perched on dead trees, posts, carrion and even the ground.  Turkey vultures are Ontario’s clean-up crew, eating carrion (meat from diseased animals).  They can be found eating the rankest carrion and suffer no ill effects from ingesting it.

Life and Death

Turkey vultures do not construct nests for their eggs, they instead find a sheltered area on the ground, on a rock cliff, or even in an abandoned building or shed. They lay 2 brownish speckled, white eggs and after hatching the chicks require 2.5 months to fledge. Although the nests of these birds are usually inaccessible, the parents have one final defense should an intruder – like a meddlesome bird watcher - get too close. They regurgitate with an uncanny accuracy, spewing forth the partially digested rotting meat they most recently fed upon.

That's Amazing

•  It is generally believed that the turkey vulture has the best sense of smell in the world.

• It is also believed that this bird is the most graceful bird in the world when in flight.