Top of The Food Chain

This is the American black vulture (Coragyps atratus). It is smaller than its cousin, the turkey vulture, but is a more social bird and will congregate in large numbers for carrion. The vulture has an acute sense of smell that enables it to detect rotting flesh beneath a forest canopy from a high altitude. Like their cousins the storks, they defecate on their legs, which keeps them cool from the evaporation of water. The legs appear white in this picture due to defecation, but they are actually black.

Vultures serve a valid purpose in nature, despite their negative press. They remove sources of botulism, anthrax and rabies, to all of which they are immune. They also remove food sources for rats and other vermin that directly affect our health.

This is a rescued bird and has been expertly trained. It is non-releasable, and will probably live up to 30 years. Another of the Callaway Garden raptors.

F/5.3, 1/1250 sec., ISO 640, +1.0 EV, D300 w 80mm - 400mm VR lens @ 400mm.

Well Philip you've found one ugly bird!! But thanks for the id I saw some of these when I was in west TN I was sure they where some sort of vulture just didn't know what kind.

I think he's very cool looking.

We have so much wildlife here where I live right near Jordan Lake, and I see congregations of 10-20 vultures quite often.

They are really quite amazing.

I love vultures; they're so well equipped for their duties! I regularly see the black ones congregating with turkey vultures especially around deer carrion. There are large roosts of both species within a half mile of my home ... hmmm ...