Baby Vulture story

[joyce]

I am snowed in and bored, so I thought I would share a story with y'all about a bird that Conservation officer put in my care when he was a baby..

This is how it all started!

In the years I have worked in rehabing. Wildlife, the most unique baby I ever had put in my care was this one.

I got a call from the game warden that he had a baby vulture he had retrieved from a person that robbed a nest, he said there had been two babies but one had died before someone turned them in, so all I would have to take care of would be the one.... I told him I had no experience with vultures but, I would give it a try, thinking to myself..."Yuck" not my favorite bird!

About an hour later he showed up at my house with a cardboard box, and when I opened it to take a peek since I had never seen a baby vulture before, the worst smell I had ever smelled in my life hit me right in the face! got to tell you that was the worst smelling baby I have ever came in contact with,
Smelled like something that had been dead for at least 2 weeks....

I made a place for him on the porch since he was way to young to go out in the pen.....

As soon as he was old enough, fully feathered, I moved him to the large flight cage....which was a wonderful thing to not have my porch smelling like a rendering truck anymore!

I started picking up dead raccoons off the road to feed him along with a Carp when I caught one.
Smelly job let me tell ya ...........Finally the day came when he was ready to go free......so I opened the door to his pen and he flew out landing in a tree on the river bank.
I thought to myself, " Thank God " he is gone!!!
Not true.....after a few minute passed he flew back, and landed on the roof of my house, and that is where he stayed, except when he was out soaring in the sky, or chasing the dog out of the yard.
He was very smart, I named him Lurch, thought that name fit him pretty good!
I could call him down from the roof top....and follow me around the yard pulling on my shoe strings.

This is a short video clip of Lurch.
Sorry the quality of the video is not very good.... shows him flying down and pulling on my shoe strings.

The pictures below are, first one of him when he arrived.

last... warming himself on a cool morning after he grew up.








Joyce

[drdave514]

Very cool story. How long did he hang around?

I once nursed a Kestrel falcon for a week after it fell out of the nest(my dog was going to gobble it) until it could fly. Fortunately, he did not smell.

[comanche]

Great story Joyce.
It just goes to Show,,,"A friend In need ,,,Is a friend Indeed"///c

[joyce]

Originally Posted by drdave514

Very cool story. How long did he hang around?

I once nursed a Kestrel falcon for a week after it fell out of the nest(my dog was going to gobble it) until it could fly. Fortunately, he did not smell.

He stayed until late Fall when the weather was getting to cold for him. Vultures don't spend the winter this far north. I hope he survived.
I have had a few Kestrel in my care, not babies, but injured adults. They are very pretty little Falcons. Thanks for your comment DrDave, thats cool you saved the baby Kestrel! Joyce

[joyce]

Originally Posted by comanche

Great story Joyce.
It just goes to Show,,,"A friend In need ,,,Is a friend Indeed"///c

Thanks Comanche! So true!!!
My girl friend is leaving for Texas Saturday, wish I was going with her, need a break from this white stuff! Joyce

[paleo_joe]

Great story!

[tomclark]

Very Cool, Joyce! Birds are people, too. Thank you!
He is probably down here, they are EVERYWHERE during this part of the winter.
No kidding, even in the city. They love Tampa Bay.

[joyce]

Originally Posted by tomclark

Very Cool, Joyce! Birds are people, too. Thank you!
He is probably down here, they are EVERYWHERE during this part of the winter.
No kidding, even in the city. They love Tampa Bay.

Thanks Tom, and thanks for the cool pictures of all the Vultures! Joyce

[joyce]

Originally Posted by paleo_joe

Great story!

Thanks Joe! Joyce

[Fluff effect]

I go to the world bird sanctuary event about every year, have liked these birds for years even thought about doing one of their adopting programs. I imagine it did fine Joyce. Pic of a Condor