What Bird of Prey is this?

[WannaBeHillBilly]

This is a wing feather of a turkey vulture
View attachment 1946288
From rewatching the video I think its just a turkey vulture. The tail is too long, fly pattern isnt right and you can not see its feet so its not a black vulture

Definitely will look out for feathers at my barn tomorrow!!!
It was back overhead during the afternoon and my ducks just looked at it and continued their duck-work, the same as they do when a C130's from the National Guard flies over.
Are there Turkey Vultures with dark heads? It has a very dark head, definitely not red.

 

[centrarchid]

I have both species here. They are really easy to discern when soaring in same field of view. Video not good enough to show white patches on wings or dangling legs. Wings were not held as stiffly as the Black Vulture does. Bald Eagles which are also present in numbers here have longer yet flatly held wings that appear to have an extra joint while the bird flaps. Head and tail also almost invisible on adult Bald Eagles while juveniles appear to have long gangly neck and tail even when compared to Turkey Vulture.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Vultures' feet are not designed to pick up and carry away prey. That is why, when you drive past and disturb a bunch of them eating roadkill at the side of a road, and they flap off into nearby trees or whatever, they are not carrying pieces of carrion in their feet. They don't have talons that grip like a hawk or eagle. Bottom line: your chickens and ducks are not much at risk from them unless they are young and unattended, or sick and dying and can be eaten on the ground.

And i guess my ducks know that as well as the crows who didn't mind the vulture flying over. I like Vultures! Without them we would have dead animals lying around here everywhere. - Rad Kill Season…

 

[Aunt Angus]

And i guess my ducks know that as well as the crows who didn't mind the vulture flying over. I like Vultures! Without them we would have dead animals lying around here everywhere. - Rad Kill Season…

I like turkey vultures, too. They are oddly majestic in their way. I love watching them circle and soar. Almost meditative.

 

[centrarchid]

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I have both species here. They are really easy to discern when soaring in same field of view. Video not good enough to show white patches on wings or dangling legs. Wings were not held as stiffly as the Black Vulture does. Bald Eagles which are also present in numbers here have longer yet flatly held wings that appear to have an extra joint while the bird flaps. Head and tail also almost invisible on adult Bald Eagles while juveniles appear to have long gangly neck and tail even when compared to Turkey Vulture.

From all the pictures and the descriptions y'all have sent - Thank you very much!!! - i would conclude Turkey Vulture, but that bird has a dark head, definitely not red! It was sitting in a tall tree close by my house this afternoon and didn't gave any attention to the ducks at all, but the head was definitely dark.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I like turkey vultures, too. They are oddly majestic in their way. I love watching them circle and soar. Almost meditative.

Agree! When they use the rising warm air and circle higher and higher without moving their wings a tiny bit, that's so impressive to watch!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

AAAHH! - That explains it:
https://swittersb.wordpress.com/2015/10/16/young-turkey-vulture/
It is a young Turkey Vulture! They don't have the characteristic red heads when they're young…
See also: https://www.nps.gov/band/learn/nature/vulture.htm
»Young turkey vultures can be distinguished from their parents by their black heads.«

 

[centrarchid]

From all the pictures and the descriptions y'all have sent - Thank you very much!!! - i would conclude Turkey Vulture, but that bird has a dark head, definitely not red! It was sitting in a tall tree close by my house this afternoon and didn't gave any attention to the ducks at all, but the head was definitely dark.

Immature Turkey Vultures have dark heads too.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Immature Turkey Vultures have dark heads too.

Yup! Just found that out too.