# Turkey Vulture

Scientific name: Cathartes aura

Bird group: [vulture](https://birdsofpuertorico.com/family/vulture)

Canonical source: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/bird/176/Turkey-Vulture

## Identification

The turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), also known in some North American regions as the turkey buzzard (or just buzzard), and in some areas of the Caribbean as the John crow or carrion crow, is the most widespread of the New World vultures. One of three species in the genus Cathartes of the family Cathartidae, the turkey vulture ranges from southern Canada to the southernmost tip of South America. It inhabits a variety of open and semi-open areas, including subtropical forests, shrublands, pastures, and deserts.


## Distribution and habitat

The Turkey Vulture occurs throughout most of the 
Western Hemisphere including 
the West Indies, where it is 
common on Cuba, Jamaica, the 
northern Bahamas, northeastern 
Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico 
(Raffaele and others 1998). It 
was reportedly introduced from Cuba to Puerto Rico in the late 
19th century (Santiago-Valentin 1997), and it is now commonly 
seen in the open country of the 
southcentral and southwestern 
regions (Biaggi 1997), especially 
from Ponce to Cabo Rojo (Oberle 
2018). However, it has also been 
seen in the northwestern region 
between the municipalities of 
Moca and Isabela (Lizardi 2003). 
Census results indicate that its 
abundance decreases from west 
to east along the southern coastal 
plain of the island (Santana 
and others 1986). This species 
habitat includes open areas such 
as grasslands, coasts, pastures, 
dry forests, farming areas (Oberle 
2018), scrublands, towns, and 
even garbage dumps (Raffaele and others 1998), but it only 
comes down to rest on trees or 
cliffsides. In Puerto Rico, Turkey 
Vultures are most abundant in 
the subtropical dry forest life 
zone of the southern region 
(Santana and others 1986). The 
atlas fieldwork yielded a total of 
190 records within 89 hexagons 
or 19 percent of the 479 total 
hexagons (see map). Of the 89 
hexagons where this species 
was found, breeding met the 
atlas definition of confirmed in 
1 percent (1) of the hexagons, 
probable in 2 percent (2), and 
possible in 1 percent (1), while 
the species was observed in 96 
percent (85) of the hexagons but 
without evidence of breeding 
(see map). Turkey Vulture distribution. The map shows the highest breeding code by hexagon and overlaying the ecological life zones in 
Puerto Rico. Note: percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.       167Turkey Vulture/Aura Tiñosa

## Breeding

Previously published reports indicate that the Turkey Vulture 
breeds primarily from February 
to April, but it may breed 
throughout the year (Raffaele 
and others 1998). The nest can 
be an unmodified rocky ledge, 
tree stump, cave (Oberle 2018), 
or a shallow depression on 
the ground under vegetation 
(Raffaele and others 1998). Atlas 
results show that this species 
breeds during April and May, and 
that the breeding activity takes 
place within subtropical dry and subtropical wet forest life zones 
(see chart). Results show that this 
species breeds mostly within the 
subtropical dry forest life zone 
(75 percent of the hexagons) 
(see table), but it may also 
breed at higher elevations within 
subtropical wet forest life zones 
(25 percent of the hexagons) 
(see table and map).

## Conservation

The current population trend of the Turkey Vulture is described 
as stable, and it is currently 
listed as a species of least concern by the IUCN (BirdLife 
International 2018). Locally, this 
species is not listed in any of the 
threatened categories of PRDNER 
and USFWS. In Puerto Rico, the 
Turkey Vulture has a protected 
habitat in land of 5 percent or 
5 km2 of the total area covered by the hexagons where evidence 
of breeding was found for this 
species (96 km2). 

Photo: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_176_Im0.png.webp

Distribution map: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_176_Im1.png.webp

Source note: Text is reproduced from this site's published record. Historical conservation statements and taxonomy have not been independently revalidated. See https://birdsofpuertorico.com/about for source credits and limitations.