The Black Vulture is still watching over her eggs! Vultures are some of my favorite birds. I love how they effortlessly soar in the sky above of us.
March 9th is when I first saw the vulture at our old well house. Both parents incubate the eggs. So there is no way to know which parent this is by a visible means. They are monomorphism. The opposite is dimorphism when the gender can be distinguished visually. A DNA test would be required to tell the difference in the case of the Black Vultures.
The old well house is in real bad shape, but apparently the perfect home for a vulture family!
The pair are monogamous. They stay together with their mates for many years. The white legs are from their excrement. It is part of their thermoregulation to help keep themselves cool.
Not much of a nest eh. But it is what a Black Vulture likes. So who am I to judge LOL. March 16th. Besides old buildings, they will also use hollow trees, brush piles, thickets, and stumps. (https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Vulture/lifehistory)
March 24th! Incubation period is 38-39 days.
So she did not fly away this time, but made the hissing and weird grumbly sounds. So add Black Vultures to the list of hissing creatures and not just the snakes.
April 1st! The parent seemed to have regurrg9tated something yum! 😉
The parents are still watching over their eggs today, (April 9th)! By my estimate the bundles of joy could come any time now!
I love vultures too. When I worked at the FW Nature Center, we found a black vulture nesting area in a hillside grotto formed by fallen slabs of Walnut Shell limestone. The chicks hiss too.
fun video of all the hissing!
This is fascinating. I’m a vulture lover too.
Ive always said i want to come back as a vulture. Soar lots and not have to kill to eat. Cant wait to see babies.
I’m so glad I got to see them! They’re so cute!
I love vultures too. When I worked at the FW Nature Center, we found a black vulture nesting area in a hillside grotto formed by fallen slabs of Walnut Shell limestone. The chicks hiss too.
Glad to hear so many others are vultures fans! And Suzanne I will be listening for the chicks too. Thanks for the heads up!