Can someone please help me find out what this raptor is?

[amazondoc]

You guys have already figured it out, but those pics are definitely a vulture. It's easy to tell vulture silhouettes apart from other raptors, in part because they look almost like they have no head.

I have them over my property nearly every day, because I live along a ridge line with good updrafts. There are often ten or more riding the thermals here.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
have they even gone after your birds? what sort of risk do i have with them around then? thanks

 

[amazondoc]

My birds are in pens, so the vultures couldn't get them even if they wanted to. But vultures are carrion eaters, not predators.

In that first pic I see hills. If you have a line of hills like I do, you may also have good thermals like I do. That's what vultures like! They are not very strong fliers, so they like to gain altitude by circling in updrafts. But thermals will also attract hawks, so you could easily have more than just the vulture hanging around. For instance, I couldn't tell whether those last couple of pics were also vulture pics, or not. You might very well have hawks as well.

 

[SpottedCrow]

I also say Turkey Vulture.
That's the correct silhouette for one.
They eat dead things and like to ride the thermals.
A Hawk/Eagle silhouette is much different.

 

[gypsy2621]

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/nhesp/species_info/nhfacts/haliaeetus_leucocephalus.pdf



SIMILAR SPECIES IN MASSACHUSETTS: The large size and distinctive plumage of the Bald Eagle make it very easy to distinguish from all other birds in Massachusetts, with the exception of the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). Both grow to approximately the same size, but the white head and tail of the adult Bald Eagle differentiates it from the Golden Eagle. Immature Bald Eagles may be confused with both immature and adult Golden Eagles. The adult Golden Eagle is nearly uniformly dark without any of the mottling found on the immature Bald Eagle. Golden Eagles at any age may have relatively sharply defined, bright, clean white patches of varying size at the base of the inner primaries and outer secondaries on the wings and a clean white area at the base of the tail. All immature Bald Eagles have whitish axillaries and, depending on age, can have extensive, “dirty” white mottling virtually anywhere on the head, body, wing linings, and tail. The Golden Eagle’s legs are feathered to its toes; the legs of the Bald Eagle are unfeathered.
The Turkey Vulture is similar to an immature Bald Eagle in size and general coloration. At a distance, a distinction can be made by looking at the birds as they soar. Turkey Vultures hold their wings somewhat upright, forming a shallow "V" when soaring and rock from side to side as they ride thermal air currents. Bald Eagles hold their wings straight out from their body while soaring, with only the tips of the primary feathers


EDA:
if you look at the pictures then compare them to the discription given here that is Not a Trkey Vultre, it is definately an eagle, which one who knows untill it decides to turn white or stay golden.

 

[wateboe]

Turkey vulture.

 

[gypsy2621]

done here.

 

[mrsmarkham]

Looks like a turkey vulture to us too, the wings are shaped a little differently than the eagles we have seen, both in Utah and Missouri.

 

[tuffy]

It also looks like a turkey vulture to me. I live in upstate NY and they are common around here. Usually spotted circling in groups of 2 or 3. Never had one in my yard after my chickens tho. I think they tend to hover over open spaces, up quite high. They have a huge wingspan, perhaps larger than an eagle. Really ugly up close!

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
That's what I thought too. We have vulture, eagles and hawks around here. I think that the photo is of a vulture and when you saw them flying in a group, those were vultures. But you probably also have some eagles and/or large hawks in the area too.