rafterbr Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 Cattlemen in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas are starting to lose baby calves to Mexican Vultures. The common Turkey Vulture we have in these areas only eat dead things and they are red headed like a turkey. The Turkey Vulture does not have a sharp beak for killing so only eats dead things it finds. The Mexican Vulture is dark headed and has a sharp beak and talons for killing things. So far this year I have lost two baby calves to them. They know when a baby calf is being born and will generally attack at this moment. A mother cow is not able to fight them off as they may number 10 or more. It is against the law to kill them but some seem to fall off fence posts of heart attacks. Guess they have to much lead in their bodies. 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHILLIN Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 I have always called them Buzzards. The variety around here seem to spend time soaring rather than attacking anything on the ground. National bird of Mexico. https://www.mexconnect.com/articles/3704-mexico-s-national-bird-caracara-means-more-than-face-face Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedros Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 23 minutes ago, CHILLIN said: I have always called them Buzzards. The variety around here seem to spend time soaring rather than attacking anything on the ground. National bird of Mexico. https://www.mexconnect.com/articles/3704-mexico-s-national-bird-caracara-means-more-than-face-face The Caracara is a totally different bird from the turkey vulure. The Caracara is the national bird of Mexico but the bird on the Mexican flag is a Golden eagle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyjillin Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 1 hour ago, rafterbr said: Cattlemen in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas are starting to lose baby calves to Mexican Vultures. The common Turkey Vulture we have in these areas only eat dead things and they are red headed like a turkey. The Turkey Vulture does not have a sharp beak for killing so only eats dead things it finds. The Mexican Vulture is dark headed and has a sharp beak and talons for killing things. So far this year I have lost two baby calves to them. They know when a baby calf is being born and will generally attack at this moment. A mother cow is not able to fight them off as they may number 10 or more. It is against the law to kill them but some seem to fall off fence posts of heart attacks. Guess they have to much lead in their bodies. Perhaps you should take some time to study the BLACK not MEXICAN Vulture. It's a migratory bird indigenous to the entire width of the southern USA[including] Oklahoma and down to Argentina. All vultures have sharp beaks and claws probably because that is required to rip apart and eat meat. If you are a rancher,you can get a permit for one year to eliminate your problem. So, did some bigot tell you that they are called Mexican vultures? Fotos of black and turkey vultures feeding. Same beak,same talons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedros Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 We have Black and Turkey vultures here. I think the turkey vulture is more common. Black has a grey head Turkey has a red head. The turkey vulture can be identified at a great distance as it tilts from side to side when flying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyjillin Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 2 minutes ago, cedros said: We have Black and Turkey vultures here. I think th turkey vulture is more common Yes both but they are equally common. the turkey vultures range is from north [as far as Canada] to south. I have seen them in action in Ontario up close and not so close in Alberta, in the fall, getting ready to migrate south. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedros Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 I've seen the turkey vulture in British Columbia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHILLIN Posted April 12, 2020 Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 I want to know what kind of buzzard that Pedro has on his head? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafterbr Posted April 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 4 hours ago, cedros said: We have Black and Turkey vultures here. I think the turkey vulture is more common. Black has a grey head Turkey has a red head. The turkey vulture can be identified at a great distance as it tilts from side to side when flying. The Turkey Vulture is prevalent in the States, Mexico and Canada. It is not known to kill animals. The Black Vulture is prevalent in Texas and south of there so people in Texas and Oklahoma commonly call it the Mexican Vulture. We have a garbage dump a few miles from me and this is where they were first spotted a few years ago. Since than many ranchers like myself have lost calves to them. Evidently they are drawn to the smell of blood as the cow is giving birth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virgo lady Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 Sympathies, sincerely, to the OP about this. 1 - why is this a topic for this board? 2 - any way to create a protective enclosure (think cow sized "Florida room" screened area) for the mother cows about to give birth? $$$ but maybe a good long term investment and discourage the vultures to go elsewhere? Lot easier than standing guard 24/7 with a rifle.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vetteforron Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 At my nursing home right on the lake we have a yard the size of a soccer field. One day my nephew left a medium size green ball out. The buzzards or what ever they are jet black birds they were playing with the ball. It was a hoot watching them. I had never seen birds do this before. They were not practicting social distancing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyjillin Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 15 hours ago, CHILLIN said: I want to know what kind of buzzard that Pedro has on his head? To find out what sort of feathers are on my head, next chance you get to watch a parade with indigenous dancers ask, and I'm sure they will inform you that they don't wear buzzard feathers on their heads. I like to be helpful so I saved you from your usual google search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyjillin Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 12 hours ago, rafterbr said: The Turkey Vulture is prevalent in the States, Mexico and Canada. It is not known to kill animals. The Black Vulture is prevalent in Texas and south of there so people in Texas and Oklahoma commonly call it the Mexican Vulture. We have a garbage dump a few miles from me and this is where they were first spotted a few years ago. Since than many ranchers like myself have lost calves to them. Evidently they are drawn to the smell of blood as the cow is giving birth. Sounds like bigotry calling them Mexican when they clearly are native to all the southern USA including Oklahoma and Texas all the way down to Argentina. What would you think if a rancher from Sonora who has had calves killed calling them Oklahoma vultures? The description of this forum really negates any constant mention in detail of the trials and tribulations of ranching in Oklahoma. "People resident or curious about the Lake Chapala area" is the premise here-no? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiko Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 1 hour ago, happyjillin said: Sounds like bigotry calling them Mexican when they clearly are native to all the southern USA including Oklahoma and Texas all the way down to Argentina. …. Lived in South and Central Texas for over 50 years in ranch country and never once heard the term Mexican vulture. Always just buzzards. But we live in different times now so when I read Mexican vulture, I get it. No problem for me, call them whatever you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHILLIN Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 OK, I will call them Crested Caracara, the national bird of Mexico. I love watching them soar, especially when they are teaching the young' uns. They indicate healthy air currents, which are plentiful right now in the hills. The breezes do dry out plants and trees faster though. My apple trees and peach tree are exploding with growth now, they like the breezes too, it makes them stronger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bournemouth Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 I think the OP is talking about Black Vultures, also known as American Vultures They can be identified, when in the air, by their frequent wing movements. Turkey Vultures glide a lot more. Black Vulture wings span is less than a Turkey Vulture and the ends of the wings have white feathers. Both kinds can often be seen soaring in the currents over the intersection of the libramiento and the carretera - probably waiting for the next crash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyjillin Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 4 minutes ago, bournemouth said: I think the OP is talking about Black Vultures, also known as American Vultures They can be identified, when in the air, by their frequent wing movements. Turkey Vultures glide a lot more. Black Vulture wings span is less than a Turkey Vulture and the ends of the wings have white feathers. Both kinds can often be seen soaring in the currents over the intersection of the libramiento and the carretera - probably waiting for the next crash. Did you not see my post with fotos of each and extensive written description? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyjillin Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 30 minutes ago, CHILLIN said: OK, I will call them Crested Caracara, the national bird of Mexico. I love watching them soar, especially when they are teaching the young' uns. They indicate healthy air currents, which are plentiful right now in the hills. The breezes do dry out plants and trees faster though. My apple trees and peach tree are exploding with growth now, they like the breezes too, it makes them stronger. Those are primarily Quetzal tail feathers and have nothing to do with the Crested Caracara. And neither I nor the dancers have soaring live raptors landing on our heads. Here I am,helping you out again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngusMactavish Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 7 minutes ago, happyjillin said: Those are primarily Quetzal tail feathers... They are closer to horse feathers. Don't MSU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyjillin Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 21 minutes ago, AngusMactavish said: The only one MSU-ing is gary chillin and perhaps you because those long ones are indeed Quezal tail feathers. Go ahead and waste a bunch of time googling as is your habit. And try not to post yourself on my quote-por favor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngusMactavish Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 10 minutes ago, happyjillin said: The only one MSU-ing is gary chillin and perhaps you because those long ones are indeed Quezal tail feathers. MSU or BS, they are not quetzal feathers. They look like this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHILLIN Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 Sure hope they are not quetzal feathers, otherwise those dancers would be in jail. They are highly endangered and look nothing like their head dress. I watched the indigenous dancers work the tourists everyday, same head dress. My ex- brother in law (r.i.p.) who happens to be indigenous struck up a conversation with them and he was told they were wild turkey feathers. So a picture of three turkeys, the one in the middle looks like hasn't had a wash or a change of clothes for a very long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafterbr Posted April 13, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 5 hours ago, happyjillin said: Sounds like bigotry calling them Mexican when they clearly are native to all the southern USA including Oklahoma and Texas all the way down to Argentina. What would you think if a rancher from Sonora who has had calves killed calling them Oklahoma vultures? The description of this forum really negates any constant mention in detail of the trials and tribulations of ranching in Oklahoma. "People resident or curious about the Lake Chapala area" is the premise here-no? I am from this area and after reading some of the comments on this forum, I thought the vultures were from here too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHILLIN Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 5 hours ago, vetteforron said: At my nursing home right on the lake we have a yard the size of a soccer field. One day my nephew left a medium size green ball out. The buzzards or what ever they are jet black birds they were playing with the ball. It was a hoot watching them. I had never seen birds do this before. They were not practicting social distancing. I think you are describing the Mexican Grackle. The bold comedians of our local bird community. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great-tailed_grackle 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHILLIN Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 The problem birds on this forum are not related to Caracaras, but more rather like the Chachalaca. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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