Vultures Wearing Jewelry....

Have you seen me???

At least one reader in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has spotted one!

Back in March we did a post about a study being done by Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.  In collaboration with colleagues in Venezuela they have wing tagged more than 350 turkey vultures in Venezuala and are doing a migration study to see just how far these graceful birds have traveled.

OK--I know that if you've seen them on the ground "graceful" would'nt exactly be the word that describes them.  BUT--have you ever really watched them soar on the thermals on a nice warm summer day?  They are magnificent!!!  

So, the next time you see them soaring above you, close your mouth and look for the ones wearing  a light blue or red numbered tag on their wing.  The numbers should be visible either from above or below.  If you see one, contact bildstein@hawkmtn.org with the following information:

* Date sighted and specific location

* Color and number of the tag

* On which wing was the tag--right or left?

* Circumstances of the sighting, including:

Was the bird alone or in a group?

Flying or perched?

Feeding or roosting?

Any other details you might find interesting

Even if you don't have ALL of the above information I'm sure any sightings would be of interest to them.  All reports will be recognized, and individuals reporting tagged birds will receive summary information about the study.

We would also be interested to know if any of our other readers have spotted one, so drop us a comment if you spot one.