hawks not hawks

[seminolewind]

I was sitting outside yesterday watching the hawks circling overhead, and my DH tells me that they are not hawks-they're turkey vultures! He said hawks do not circle in groups, and hawks need to flap their wings more often to stay aloft. I looked in my bird book (duh) and realized he was right. I don't know what they are looking for. So I think I can feel better about letting my big girls free range, the hawks are smaller than my BO and Jersey Giants. Any thoughts?

 

[jjthink]

It's always such a relief when it's turkey vultures and not hawks, since TV's are no threat and only eat dead stuff.
Not sure where you're located and therefore what kinds of hawks you do have...so I don't know about the treat that may be out there but I hope you have no problems....
JJ.

 

[rooster-red]

We have a bumper crop of those this year also!

 

[joanc]

The turkey vultures only like dead critters! They have an excellent sense of smell for dead flesh. They won't be a problem with healthy live animals.
Unless hawks become a problem I say let your chickies out.
We just got 8+ inches of snow and my chickies won't come out of the coop!
I wish mine would go out but they just stand at the door and bok-bok.

 

[halo]

You can easily tell the difference between hawks and vultures when they are flying. Hawks' wing span is perfectly flat across, the turkey vultures wings tip upward as they soar. I hope that made sense. Eagles also have flat wings.

 

[foxtrapper]

Don't get excessively casual. I've had turkey vultures hunt here. I've watched them do it, all the way down to the kill. Certainly it's not common, but it's also absolutely not impossible.

Make sure you're seeing turkey vultures, and not black vultures. The black vulture is quite a good hunter. Though oddly, I've never had a problem with one here, and they are around.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
I live 40 miles north of Tampa and 8 miles inland. We have loads of turkey vultures. In the morning, I can see up to 10 circling around. I don't know why, I can't say we have a problem with dead animals around here.

 

[seminolewind]

The wing tips are turned upward. They are turkey vultures, not black vultures. Thanks