About the Cover…
Black Vultures
All photos courtesy Betsy Cross
"Pairs remain in close contact year-round, apparently mating for life. Prior to nesting, pairs spend time perching together near prospective nest sites." —from Birds of Prey by Pete Dunne with Kevin T. Karlson
Betsy Cross
Circle of Life
May 2021 at Jacob’s Well Natural Area - Wimberley, Texas
Two black vulture nestlings huddle together inside their rocky nest cavity—May 9, 2021.
Black vultures nest in dark cavities that offer a degree of seclusion and concealment: caves, hollow trees, brush piles, thickets, stumps, rocky crevices, and abandoned buildings surrounded by woody growth. They lay their eggs directly on the ground.
Audubon indicates that black vultures lay 2 eggs (and rarely 1 or 3 eggs). Both parents participate in incubating the eggs, which typically takes 37-41 days.
June 2024 at Jacob’s Well Natural Area - Wimberley, Texas
June 2, 2024
June 9, 2024
Black vulture young can leave ground nest cavities at eight weeks and move to higher areas nearby, but fledging takes 10-11 weeks.
After fledging, adults and young commonly share the same roost, and the young may continue to be fed by the parents for up to eight months.
June 15, 2024
July 7, 2024
This single black vulture nestling becomes a fledgling in late June to early July.
June 2023 at Schulle Canyon Natural Area - San Marcos, Texas
This youngster, one of two black vulture nestlings at Schulle Canyon in San Marcos, has ventured out of its nest cavity, which is presumably in a nearby abandoned shed—June 1, 2023.
June 2020 at Jacob’s Well Natural Area
These two curious fledglings explore their new world and pose for pictures—June 7.
On the Lighter Side
Remembering the Summer of 2023
Every day in August, this bird visited my backyard watering tub for a drink and a dip. Here she drops in to cool off during one of our hottest summers on record.
And regardless of our impression of these big birds, they need water and an occasional bath too! It’s just a little startling (and endearing) to look up from my desk and see one perched on the edge of my bird bath or trying to bathe in a half-inch of water. Gotta love’em!
Think we’re a little heavy on vultures this month?
Well, I was completely consumed in researching, writing, and editing articles about vultures last Monday afternoon. And then, during a short break when I stepped outside to retrieve my empty trash can, I found this vulture’s gift at my front door. Hmmm…verrry interesting!
It’s almost October now, and spookier things are bound to happen before the month is out! So from this month’s Hays Humm contributors and our editing team, we wish you all a Happy Halloween, and don’t forget to be kind to vultures!
International Vulture Awareness Day— iVAD
Once a year, on the first Saturday in September, iVAD ccoordinators shine a spotlight on one of the most “tragically misunderstood and underappreciated birds on our planet. …vultures are the silent sentinels of our natural world. These remarkable creatures are nature’s cleaners, ecosystem guardians, flying giants, and devoted parents.”
References:
Birds of Prey by Pete Dunne with Kevin T. Karlson, pp 248-254.
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/black-vulture
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Vulture/overview
Much-Maligned Vultures Shine at Soaring and Sanitation|| TPW magazine|March 2017
This month’s cover photo of two black vultures perched together on a dead limb was taken in mid-December at Brazos Bend State Park in Needville, Texas, approximately 45 miles southwest of Houston. Photos courtesy Betsy Cross