Turkey Vulture

birds of prey · amazing noses · sky hunters

Masters of the sky. Turkey vultures can soar for hours without flapping their wings, riding warm air currents called thermals high above the ground. They glide so smoothly that they look almost like they're floating.

Super smeller. These vultures have one of the best senses of smell in the bird world. They can detect a dead animal from over a mile away, which helps them find food in forests where they can't see everything.

Found everywhere. Turkey vultures live across North and South America, from Canada all the way down to the tip of Argentina. They're the most common vulture in the Western Hemisphere.

Homes anywhere. These birds adapt to almost any landscape, from deserts and grasslands to forests and mountains. They're not picky about where they live as long as there's open space to soar.

Bare red head. Adult turkey vultures have bright red heads with no feathers, which makes them easy to spot. The red color actually helps them attract mates during breeding season.