It’s Tuesday, time for a Turkey Vulture (TV) update.
The turkey vulture chicks have grown rapidly their first 4 weeks. They are beginning to get their juvenile plumage. Notice the dark brown, nearly black, feathers showing up in the wings and down their backs.
Capturing pictures of the turkey vulture chicks in this deep nest requires some old school photography techniques. Everything is set manually. I preset the focus, set the aperture, shutter, and flash. Then I hold the camera over the entrance to the nest and take a series of shots. I can’t see anything, even if I were to stick my head into the dark deep nest. After the flash fires the first time, the chicks begin their eerie vocalizations. My friend, Rhythm, over at Reading With Rhythm calls turkey vultures “spooky birds.” The ominous sound made by the chicks, plays into that role perfectly.
Turkey vultures do not have voice boxes. They only grunt and hiss. The eerie ghostly sound in the video is the sound the turkey vulture chicks make. No chirpy chickies here.
This little guy was all sprawled out on the nest floor. Must have been a busy day.
The chicks begin hissing a warning…stay away…they hiss.
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Turkey Vulture Rendezvous
Spying on the Vulture Nest
Bigger on the Inside
UGLY Birds Gather
Vulture Turf Wars
Across the Threshold
Sneaking Bliss 
they sound like a hot-air balloon! they are precious! z
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Well, now, isn’t that appropriate since they will be soaring on thermals this summer. 😉
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ha! you are right!
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Great pictures! I love turkey vultures and am thankful for your series about them. The young ones look so soft.
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Fantastic to get an update on the chicks… eerie is right, never heard them before… thank you 🙂
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It almost sounds like the tree is breathing.
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I stick with spooky! But they are pretty cute babies. I like that “hot air balloon” thought! I’ll try to think of them that way! I sure have been enjoying the natural history lessons. You do some incredible stuff! And thanks for the mention! I’m honored to be quoted!
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😀
May want to stick with spooky, as I don’t think a hot air balloon will throw up on you like these little guys might. 😉
I have another video of an adult hissing at the camera…will have to post when I get a chance.
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Ummmm. Throw up sounds yummy!
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They are quite ugly when they are young.
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Thanks for posting Mary. Love these little guys for a bit longer – until they attack the camera! 🙂
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Didn’t lower it all the way, they vomit as self defense. Might be a little rough on the GoPro! Especially since I used the vented housing to pick up sound.
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A trailer for you book? Wonderful to be able to see the chicks growing. Terrific!
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Been working on a trailer, but so many things to do. So I doing a series of TV “brought to you by.”
I’m thinking defensive vomit might be a good touch. 😉
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Now this was a little scary….
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…and creepy. It almost sounds and feels like the tree is breathing.
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Thank you for a unique peek into the life of baby vultures :))
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😀
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Reblogged this on lost creek publishing.
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They are beautiful, in the eyes of their mother and I am sure they have a special place with mother natures chain of interconnections.
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indeed they do.
I observed them a lot while illustrating a children’s book, and I am still observing them. They start off so cute, then, well, it is like a reverse ugly duckling. 😉
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WOW!!! Incredible!
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I found some of these brown hissing things in my barn. Big.
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