The soaring black and gray wings of the Turkey vulture appear mostly in migration over Oasis Valley, especially in April and September-October. In some years I see a big pulse of vultures in the fall moving south, but in other years only a few. I suspect they may follow other valleys more on those years, such as Pahranagut Valley to the east, as I have seen large numbers circling about in "kettles" there while in Oasis Valley only a few that week. Oasis Valley sees a few vultures all summer looking for carcasses and occasionally roosting for the night in tall cottonwood trees.

Breeding may occur sporadically in lower mountain areas with cliffs and rocky areas, although as the Atlas of Breeding Birds of Nevada (Floyd et al. 2007) points out, evience of nesting is very hard to come by.

Many Turkey vultures winter along the lowr Colorado River in California-Arizona, as well as Mexico.

An immature with black head lands on a snag. Adults have red heads.

 

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