What Bird of Prey is this?

[Ladies-Eight]

The pictures are great!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

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.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I wasn't sure if you had Turkey Vultures and /or Black Vultures in your part of the country. We only have Turkey in MN, but if the head is bald and dark, it could be a juvenile Turkey Vulture, or a Black Vulture is you have those.

Well we have both here, according to the DNR-agent i had on the phone this afternoon. She also assured me that both species won't pose a threat for domestic poultry as long as they find enough dead animals to eat.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Vulture. Nasty birds, but no threat.

Well i like vultures (the birds!) - without them there would be dead animals lying around everywhere… There's a lot of road-kill around here, especially during the fall and spring season.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

It's a bit tricky to identify the bird from the video- but I'm guessing you have a turkey vulture. Vultures mostly live off of carrion (road kill, hunter's scraps, sickly) and aren't of threat to poultry. Guinea fowl have a certain history, relating almost to the New World 'vulturine'... so I wouldn't call them a bird of prey, to living livestock or poultry.
Vultures have a pretty distinct wing pattern when flying overhead. Their primary feathering it half colored white, the rest of the bird being a shade of brown.
Cornell may be of help to you. I'm afraid I can't find my own picture.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Turkey_Vulture/

Another interesting thing about them is that they don't have feathering on their heads. This is what keeps them from catching disease such as botulism and salmonella from their food. So you don't extremely have to worry about them bringing sickness to your flock.

I'm pretty sure now it was/is a black vulture, saw it again this afternoon and the head and body is dark, but the feathers on the wingtip are very light, almost white (could have been the sun). We have a Coyote problem again in the area, they're howling in the middle of the night and it sounds like a large pack. One of the neighbors told me not to go into the woods unarmed, he saw a pack of seven and they were checking him out. Only when he pointed his gun in their direction they took off. So maybe there are some deer remains around…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

With the video and what you described with colouring I’d say black vulture. Turkeys have more of a red skinned head.

Yup, saw it again today, the bird is very dark with bright wingtips.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I agree with everyone else. Definately a breed of vulture. If you want to be more certain take a walk around and see if you can find some feathers. You will have a more positive identification that way.

Good point! I need to go to my barn tomorrow anyways…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Turkey Vulture. Black Vultures flap almost like a bat because wings forward swept.

I am sure it is a Black Vulture. The body is very dark and the wing-tips are bright.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Umpf! - So far i was sure it is a Black Vulture because of the dark body and the light wing-tips. But it has a long tail and is holding the wings like a shallow V…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

TV for sure, they also always wobble when they soar, it makes them super easy to identify from far off

But it has a really dark head…
Maybe a Turkey Vulture with a hoodie?