Turkey Vulture

Turkey Vultures, Cathartes Aura, are common in Utah, and are often seen around Price. There is a tree at the edge of town near the Price River, where the birds roost at night in large numbers. The vultures are true scavengers, eating mostly carrion, although they occasionally kill small animals and may injest ripe or rotten fruit if necessary. They lay 1 to 3 eggs in a secluded area, often a cave or cliff site, without building a nest. The young are fed by regurgitation and are able to fly after about 11 weeks. The picture below was taken from my porch when a pair of vultures fed on dead prairie dogs in my yard.

Image taken April 30, 2014, with the Nikon D-90 and the Tamron 300mm zoom lens.