# buzzards



## charliesbugs (Feb 25, 2007)

I just had an argument with someone that said buzzards carry stuff back to the nest. I say they can't pick up things with their feet like a hawk. In fact they do not make a nest, they will just lay the eggs on the ground sometimes. I have saw this several times. They also will lay in a hollow log if it is just right. Anybody have any thoughts on this?? He also asked how do they roost in trees if they can't grip. I said same as chickens.


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## TxAprilMagic (Nov 8, 2007)

charliesbugs said:


> I just had an argument with someone that said buzzards carry stuff back to the nest. I say they can't pick up things with their feet like a hawk. In fact they do not make a nest, they will just lay the eggs on the ground sometimes. I have saw this several times. They also will lay in a hollow log if it is just right. Anybody have any thoughts on this?? He also asked how do they roost in trees if they can't grip. I said same as chickens.


You are correct in all of the argument.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

They nest in an old barn on our property and just lay the egg on the ground. Photo of egg.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

I have a flock of 30 or so that hang out in a very large pine tree close to my cliff. They do roost in the pine tree and sometimes sit on my roof line all in line. They dont poop on my roof but they sure poop in a huge circle ring like 25 ft around the pine tree. They lay eggs in a large brush pile with the base being a downed tree. My neighbor and I had a female last winter that did not leave our woods.(dont know where they go) She would eat breakfast at her house and walk down the hill and eat dinner at my place, we offered her meat and veggies and water daily. She made it through the winter sometimes on our porches sometimes in with the chickens. Had no problems from her. She hooked up with the rest of the crew around March. I have never seen them carry anything off but they do fly up and land on things.

I think the ones I have are black turkey vulture.


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

Both turkey vultures and black vultures feed chicks by regurgitation, so they don't carry things back to their nest. Nor do they make a nest.

Forcast, the way to tell is to look at 2 things, the head and the wings. Black vultures have a grayish head, turkey vultures have a red head, though the young can look like a black vulture. When they fly, the turkey vultures have what looks like a whitish V on the underside of their wings and the black vulture has white on the wing tips. 

Both birds typically eat carrion, but black vultures have been known to kill newborn animals such as calves, kids and lambs.


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