Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

Year-round in CharlotteCommon

The take

Wings in a shallow V, rocking on the thermals — the two-toned underwing tells it from the next one.

How to ID it

  • Very large dark bird that soars with wings raised in a shallow V
  • Dark brown with a featherless red head; two-toned underwings with paler flight feathers
  • Teetering, unsteady soaring with very few wingbeats, often low to the ground sniffing for carrion

Field marks at a glance

Size
huge
Head
bare red head
Call
mostly silent; hisses at close range

Where & when

Year-round in Charlotte

Learn more

Sources