Ask the LJ ornithologists!

[beetiger]

Anyone know what kind of bird this is? It's huge! Two of them were courting on the neighbors' lawn for about 5 minutes before projectmothra moved a bit too quickly while we were watching them. The one in the pic is doing this wing display while the other one circled it. That's a standard swingset in the foreground for size reference. When they took off, they did a smooth, long, low glide before I lost track of them among the trees.

Thanks for any ID help.

ETA Apparently they were turkey vultures. I was confused because it looked like a turkey and flew like a vulture. :)Thanks, all!

Big birds on the lawn?

Comments

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

A turkey? Or a vulture? Maybe a turkey vulture?

[bkdelong.livejournal.com]

Yes, I believe it's a turkey vulture as well.

[beetiger.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes, that's exactly it! Thank you. And wow. Vultures dancing in my backyard.

[gavinfox.livejournal.com]

Turkey Vulture I think!

[featheredfrog.livejournal.com]

No question at all: Turkey Vulture

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

Everybody else already said it, but that was my guess too. Cool!

[koogrr.livejournal.com]

They're all over the place down here.

[dv-girl.livejournal.com]

turkey vulture. Young adult.

[ladyperegrine.livejournal.com]

Here's a totemy view: http://www.wildspeak.com/vilturj/totems/wvulture.html

[hakeber.livejournal.com]

The bare head and 'clear' wing feathers are the dead give away. Too cool that you got to see two in action!