jass1660 Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 Drove from Northeast Illinois today to Greeley Colorado for my daughter’s college graduation. I’ve noticed around home and driving the 950 miles there appears to me to be a huge amount of vultures flying everywhere, both red and black headed ones. Anyone else notice more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supermechanic Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 Here in Pennsylvania, I have always noticed "buzzards" (as we call them) are more prevalent in the spring of the year. I have no idea why this is. Sometimes they look as if they are just hanging around, waiting for something to die. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandhiller Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 We have always had them here. They like soaring and riding the thermals (I think) coming up from the river canyons Not my favorite bird but I guess they serve a purpose I don't mind seeing them overhead but hate to see them circling when I'm out running pastures. Usually not a good sign I have heard some on here say they have buzzards that will actually maim young livestock. Thankfully we don't have that kind here, only clean up the dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
from H to 80 Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 Yes,the black vultures are known to attack calves or sickly livestock,we had a round with them a couple of years ago. They apparently don't like loud noises because they don't stay around here anymore.💀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledgehammer Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 24 minutes ago, from H to 80 said: Yes,the black vultures are known to attack calves or sickly livestock,we had a round with them a couple of years ago. They apparently don't like loud noises because they don't stay around here anymore.💀 Yeah. We can get predation tags for the black headed ones. They are slightly smaller than the red headed ones. Funny thing, ours don’t like loud noises either….. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbyfarm Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 These vultures are protected here. They like to harass livestock and do cause damage to roofs etc. It isn't a good situation as they are more common then ever and don't have a lot of fear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawleigh99 Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 They are just gearing up for the upcoming political season! 1 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CC_Ranger Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 We are dealing with them at work. We have a contract with USDA Wildlife Services. They perch on the railings of the bridge to the dam control tower. They poop all over everything and their poop is very acidic. They also pick out the caulk in the joints of the concrete tower. We have hung effigies the past two years and that chased them away, but this spring they are sitting right next to and under the effigies with no concerns. We also used bird bangers, 12 ga. fireworks that we shoot into the crowd either with a loud whistle or a bang, they fly away make a circle over the lake and then come right back to perch. I met with USDA today and they are going to start eliminating some of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbyfarm Posted May 12 Share Posted May 12 6 minutes ago, CC_Ranger said: We are dealing with them at work. We have a contract with USDA Wildlife Services. They perch on the railings of the bridge to the dam control tower. They poop all over everything and their poop is very acidic. They also pick out the caulk in the joints of the concrete tower. We have hung effigies the past two years and that chased them away, but this spring they are sitting right next to and under the effigies with no concerns. We also used bird bangers, 12 ga. fireworks that we shoot into the crowd either with a loud whistle or a bang, they fly away make a circle over the lake and then come right back to perch. I met with USDA today and they are going to start eliminating some of them. Is this at blue marsh? We had a cattleman association mtg over the winter where someone from hawk mountain talked about vultures and also this problem at the lake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CC_Ranger Posted May 13 Share Posted May 13 Yes, I am the manager there. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbyfarm Posted May 13 Share Posted May 13 1 hour ago, CC_Ranger said: We are dealing with them at work. We have a contract with USDA Wildlife Services. They perch on the railings of the bridge to the dam control tower. They poop all over everything and their poop is very acidic. They also pick out the caulk in the joints of the concrete tower. We have hung effigies the past two years and that chased them away, but this spring they are sitting right next to and under the effigies with no concerns. We also used bird bangers, 12 ga. fireworks that we shoot into the crowd either with a loud whistle or a bang, they fly away make a circle over the lake and then come right back to perch. I met with USDA today and they are going to start eliminating some of them. These black vultures seem much more of a problem compared to the brown buzzards. We had about 10 here the other day sitting on fence posts and just one today. Eliminating some would be good. They seem to be continually growing in population. They showed a video of them harassing a cow calf pair here locally. They wanted the afterbirth and were stressing the animals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazy WP Posted May 13 Share Posted May 13 2 hours ago, CC_Ranger said: We are dealing with them at work. We have a contract with USDA Wildlife Services. They perch on the railings of the bridge to the dam control tower. They poop all over everything and their poop is very acidic. They also pick out the caulk in the joints of the concrete tower. We have hung effigies the past two years and that chased them away, but this spring they are sitting right next to and under the effigies with no concerns. We also used bird bangers, 12 ga. fireworks that we shoot into the crowd either with a loud whistle or a bang, they fly away make a circle over the lake and then come right back to perch. I met with USDA today and they are going to start eliminating some of them. I have heard that if you shoot 1 with a 22mag, they leave! So I am told. My thoughts are that they think George ate something poisoned and it killed him. The quieter the better, or so I have heard. 💁 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rawleigh99 Posted May 13 Share Posted May 13 When I was a kid we only had the red-headed ones in virginia. The black ones are relatively new and seem more aggressive. I know they have trouble at some of the boat launching ramps with the vultures sitting on the hoods of cars and ripping the rubber off the windshield wipers. Bizarre. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CC_Ranger Posted May 14 Share Posted May 14 The USDA uses a high powered "professional" air rifle. I will keep you posted on the progress. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike newman Posted May 14 Share Posted May 14 On 5/13/2023 at 8:55 AM, Rawleigh99 said: They are just gearing up for the upcoming political season! ,,,, steady Rawleigh....steady..... ...the New Zealand' 'Kea'' ,,,a parrot like bird, also loves ripping the rubber strips off wind screen wipers .....those birds frequent the higher country, only, though Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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