Watching Birds Grow

Watching Birds Grow

One of the coolest things about being involved with the World Bird Sanctuary for a number of years is being able to watch birds grow and change. 

In addition to watching Goblin grow into an awesome flyer and show-bird, I was also able to watch Mortimer the Turkey Vulture and Wyatt the Harris Hawk grow up and end up being really fun to work with.  I also got to experience the differences in their “personalities.”

Naturalist Cathy Spahn & baby Mortimer just beginning to get his adult plumage (photo: Gay Schroer)

With Mortimer, I was around when he first began roaming the Nature Center with downy feathers, with some of his black feathers growing in, and a blackish face, nibbling at anything within reach.  He then progressed to being used in education programs as a bird which was walked around on a trainer’s glove, so he could get used to people.  During this progression, I was in college, which meant that I was unable to watch the changes like I could with Goblin.  Instead, I got to see the beginning bird and the end results for that time (which ended up being Mortimer making an appearance during the Open House program of 2012).  Then I went back to college for two years, but started working at the Nature Center during the summer of 2014.  I was re-introduced to Mortimer — this time with him flying perch to perch in programs, such as International Vulture Awareness Day. Of course he had grown up, and had that red face and white beak. 

Mortimer beginning to do education programs as a walk-on bird (photo: Sandra Lowe)

As I've had the chance to experience, his looks weren't the only thing that changed.  His “personality” has changed from a bird which was not totally used to being around people to one which was much more at ease with people.  In Mortimer's case, this means testing the people who are new to him by trying to see what he can get away with.  I found this out very quickly and learned not to let my guard down when working with him.  Somehow he seems to know when you're thinking about doing just that.

Watching Wyatt grow up was a lot different because I wasn't around nearly as much, so the progression I was able to watch was his transition between juvenile and adult plumage.  In the summer of 2012 he was given many opportunities to show off the beautiful markings of a juvenile Harris Hawk during Amazing Animal Encounters (free weekend summer shows sponsored by Ameren Missouri).

Naturalist Neal Cowan & Wyatt at a Birds in Concert show  (photo: Gay Schroer)

Then, during the same Open House program where Mortimer appeared, I got to see Wyatt flying again, this time over crowds at least four times as large as the Animal Encounters.  This didn't seem to bother him in the slightest, and he's proven to be a wonderfully reliable flyer throughout the entirety of his flying career.

Wyatt easily became my favorite Harris Hawk to work with.  This happened not only because of his cool iris color (tan, instead of the more common brown found in adult Harris Hawks), but also his “personality.”  Even during vertical flight practice when I wasn't ready for him to fly to me, he proved to be remarkably patient — seeing that I wasn't ready, he would circle back down to his perch, and wait for me to be ready before flying to me.  He kept this patience and added quick learning and adaptability to his list of good qualities.  He quickly adapts to different flights his trainers ask of him, showcased in a video you can see here, where he demonstrates how Harris Hawks adjust to flying over terrains that vary in heights. 

If you visit the World Bird Sanctuary when these two remarkable birds are not traveling to programs with their trainers you may be able to see both of these interesting birds, as well as numerous others which call the Sanctuary their home.

Hope to see you there!

Matt Levin, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

Kinsey

Hello and welcome back!  Thank you for returning to explore yet another animal from the World Bird Sanctuary. 

What type of bird comes to mind when you see or hear the combined words: scavenger, disgusting, and bald head?  If you are thinking of a vulture or condor, then you’re right!  In this blog I'm going to share some fun and educational information about a special vulture at the World Bird Sanctuary.  You will discover his species’ natural history, personal history, and a few very interesting facts, too!

The bird’s name is Kinsey and he is a Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura).   He was named after John Kinsey, a beloved WBS volunteer who passed away suddenly in 2009. 

Kinsey (photo: Lisbeth Hodges) 

Kinsey is 5 years old this year and came to us--literally!  He was rescued on our exhibit line after having been observed for three days walking around and not flying.  An examination revealed that due to an old injury his right wing could not be fully extended.  As a result of this injury, he could no longer fly.

Now, onto the educational info!  Turkey vultures are only found in North and South America.  There are two groups of vultures--Old World and New World.  There are 15 Old World vultures and 7 New World vultures, with 22 in total.  Old World vultures are more closely related to diurnal (day active) birds of prey like eagles, hawks and falcons.  New World vultures are more closely related to storks and cranes.  The New World refers to the Americas.  The Old World refers to the rest of the continents.  Other New World vultures include Black, King, Lesser Yellow Headed, Greater Yellow Headed, Andean Condor and California Condor. 

Our resident Turkey Vultures are often visited by their wild cousins (photo: Gay Schroer)

Vultures scavenge for their food, which means that they survive off of eating carrion (dead animals).  Kinsey is given rat, rabbit, pigeons, venison, and fish.  His favorite seems to be pigeon.   If you come to WBS between 8-9am, (when our birds on the exhibit line are usually fed) then your chances of seeing neighboring wild vultures on the exhibit line will be very good!  They often gather there hoping to scavenge scraps from our birds’ meals.  Since most of our enclosures have tops, they are not successful—but, hey, a guy can hope, can’t he?

Kinsey, as well as many of our other birds, loves to sun himself.  This basically means that he opens up his wings and directs the back of his wings and body to the sun.    Below you can see Kinsey sunning in the morning light.

 Kinsey sunning himself (photo: Lisbeth Hodges)

Turkey Vulture chicks look exactly the same as Black Vulture chicks.  Surprisingly, they have white fluffy down feathers and a black face, with a difference in beak shape.  Adult Turkey Vultures are all dark brown except for their bright red face.  It takes around two years for them to mature into the red face, with juveniles having a darker head.  Turkey Vultures are not sexually dimorphic, meaning the male and female look the same.  They also have the same wingspan as small Bald Eagles, which is approximately six feet (67-70 inches).  Their weight however is much lighter--only 4.4lbs (2000g), whereas Bald Eagles range from 6-16lbs. 

Mortimer, one of our other Turkey Vultures, still sporting his white down feathers and dark head (photo: Gay Schroer)

These vultures lay a clutch (group of eggs or chicks) of 1-3 creamy white eggs with colored spots ranging from purple to brown.  Their life span ranges from 20-25 years in the wild.  In captivity they can live from 40-50 years! 

A wild Turkey Vulture in flight (photo: Gay Schroer)

Turkey Vultures are the most common vulture in the United States and they are very easy to spot.  When they soar in the sky, their wings are in a slight dihedral (V-shape), and can soar for many hours without flapping their wings.

These beautiful and bald vultures have a great sense of smell.  They can smell dead animals over 2 miles away!  They have very large nostrils, or nares that are within the cere (skin between beak and forehead).  Below you can see a close up of his cere.

 Kinsey giving us a good look at his cere (photo: Lisbeth Hodges)

Kinsey is available for adoption in our Adopt a Bird program.  To find out more information, call 636-861-3225.  All adoption donations are tax deductible.

Kinsey can be seen in the weathering area just behind the Environmental Education Center (visitor’s center) at the World Bird Sanctuary, which is open daily from 8am-5pm. 

Kinsey is a very handsome bird who demonstrates the phrase “bald is beautiful.”  You should stop by and see him sometime.

Submitted by former World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist Lisbeth Hodges

Meet Mortimer

What are the first three adjectives that come to mind when you think of a Turkey Vulture?  Well, if they aren’t “cute”, “sweet” and “adorable” then you haven’t met Mortimer!!

It's really hard to resist Mortimer's charms.

Mortimer is one of the newest residents at the World Bird Sanctuary.  Mort’s egg was laid by two of the resident Turkey Vultures, Attila and Hinkley, in our behind the scenes area breeding mews.

When he was just a few weeks old he was brought to our Nature Center to be raised by our Naturalists so that he could become accustomed to all the sights, sounds and activities he would encounter as one of WBS’s avian ambassadors. (Since we do not routinely subject our birds to surgical sexing, we will assume Mortimer is a male until such time as he proves us wrong by laying an egg.)

When he first joined our staff he appeared white!! – or at least his baby down feathers were white.  He also had a black head rather then the red head usually associated with Turkey Vultures.  (As he matures his head will turn the familiar red color.)  As time passed he began to lose his baby down and his first set of “real” feathers grew in.  However, at this point he looks like a little old man with a scraggly white beard, since some of his down feathers are still clinging in places. 

Mortimer is gradually losing his white down feathers

At first, since he was unable to fly, Mortimer was allowed the freedom to roam freely in an enclosed area, getting used to the comings and goings of our staff.  His major accomplishment in the ensuing weeks was exercising his wings and stealing everyone’s heart.  However, once he began to take his first tentative flights it was time to outfit him with jesses, and introduce him to his perch in the weathering area, where he joined our other avian stars.  Click here for a video of those early days.

At this point it was time to begin his formal “education.”  Training one of our avian ambassadors is serious stuff!  They need to learn things like stepping to a trainer’s glove, then balancing on the glove while being walked around the Nature Center amongst visitors.  They need to learn to go into and out of a travel crate without being afraid, and that doors will not eat them as they pass through.  They learn to step onto a scale to be weighed, and then to step back to the glove from the scale.  Mortimer has mastered all these skills with flying colors.

Mortimer and Naturalist Cathy Spahn at Birds in Concert - Photo by Sandra Lowe Murray

The next big step for Mortimer was to perform before large crowds—which he did this past August when he appeared at our Birds In Concert series.  A few people in the safety of the Nature Center is one thing—but two hundred people in the amphitheater, a band, and cameras flashing is another!  However, because Mortimer totally trusts his handlers and he got small doses of all the other things mentioned during his initial training, he passed this test like a pro.

Since that first public appearance he has passed another hurdle—traveling in the van to a distant location and then appearing at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival.  This was a true test of all his careful training, since there is nothing more chaotic than a Renfaire with it’s crowds, banners, music, parades, strange animals (such as dogs, horses, snakes, etc.).  Mortimer took all of this in his stride and is well on his way to becoming a real pro.

When you visit the World Bird Sanctuary be sure to look for Mortimer.  It’s not often that you will have the opportunity to see a baby Turkey Vulture.  Check him out while he still has his juvenile plumage.

As with all our birds, Mortimer is available for adoption through our Adopt A Bird program.  If you don’t see Mortimer (or any bird you are interested in adopting) on our website you can call 636-861-3225, XT 10, and tell the person answering that you would like to adopt a bird.

Submitted by Gay Schroer, World Bird Sanctuary Volunteer/Photographer