Tom Vezo / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) perching on Cardon (Pachycereus pringlei) cactus, sunning itself with wings spread, Sonora, Mexico

Rolf Nussbaumer / Turkey vulture sunning and calling in tree {Cathartes aura} Texas, USA.

Claudio Contreras / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) interacting with Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus). Maria Madre Island, Islas Marias Biosphere Reserve, Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), Mexico, September.

Loic Poidevin / Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) standing over dead Canada goose (Anser canadensis) Quebec, Canada, October

Mike Read / Southern giant petrel Macronectes giganteus) at sheep carcass with Turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) Falkland Islands

Steve Gettle / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida

Steve Gettle / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), Howell Nature Center, Michigan

Steve Gettle / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), Howell Nature Center, Michigan

Steve Gettle / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), Howell Nature Center, Michigan

Steve Gettle / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), Howell Nature Center, Michigan

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) feeding on loon carcass, Monterey, California

Sebastian Kennerknecht / California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) juvenile with wing tags and Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) flying, Big Sur, California

Pete Oxford / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) in flight. Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, Quintana Roo,Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

John Cancalosi / Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) feeding on jackrabbit carcass. Sonoran desert, Arizona, USA, October 2010

John Cancalosi / Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) feeding on jackrabbit carcass. Sonoran desert, Arizona, USA, October 2010

John Cancalosi / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) feeding on jackrabbit carcass, Sonoran desert, Arizona, USA

John Cancalosi / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) feeding on jackrabbit carcass, Sonoran desert, Arizona, USA

John Cancalosi / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) feeding on jackrabbit carcass, Sonoran desert, Arizona, USA

John Cancalosi / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) feeding on jackrabbit carcass, Sonoran desert, Arizona, USA

Donald M. Jones / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) group flying in morning thermals, Sarasota, Florida

Charlie Summers / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) perched on a fence post, with wings held outstretched to warm itself. Hot Springs, South Dakota, USA, North America

Stephen Dalton / Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) portrait, controlled conditions

Donald M. Jones / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) flying, Sarasota, Florida

Donald M. Jones / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), Sarasota, Florida

Donald M. Jones / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) flying, Sarasota, Florida

Mike Wilkes / Turkey vulture {Cathartes aura} feeding on Raccoon carcass, Florida, USA

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) sub-adult feeding on rabbit carcass, Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline, California

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) sub-adult feeding on rabbit carcass, Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline, California

Roy Mangersnes / Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) on rock, near Gypsy Cove, East Falkland Islands. November

Roy Mangersnes / Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) in flight over rock, near Gypsy Cove, East Falkland Islands. November

Roy Mangersnes / Tagged Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) in flight, East Falkland Islands. November

Scott Leslie / American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) group and Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) roosting in palm, Everglades National Park, Florida

Scott Leslie / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) pair, Everglades National Park, Florida

Pete Oxford / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), Pebble Island, Falkland Islands

Doug Wechsler / Turkey Vulture {Cathartes aura} perched in pitch pine, Pine Barrens, New Jersey, USA

Doug Wechsler / Turkey Vulture {Cathartes aura} eating dead fish, Anouac National Wildlife Refuge, Texas, USA

Scott Leslie / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) flying, Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas

ZSSD / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) soaring overhead, native to North America

Rolf Nussbaumer / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) preening, Starr County, Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA. May 2002

Ingo Arndt / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) sunning on fence post San Simeon, California

Larry Minden / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) adult perching on Cardon (Pachycereus pringlei) cactus, Baja California, Mexico

John Cancalosi / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) stretching wings, USA

John Cancalosi / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) on Collared peccary / Javelina (Tayassu tajacu) carcass, USA

Tom Vezo / Turkey vulture {Cathartes aura} alighting off branch, Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA

Tom Vezo / Turkey vulture {Cathartes aura} portrait perching on branch, Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA

Tom Vezo / Portrait of a Turkey vulture {Cathartes aura} perching on branch, Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA

Tom Vezo / Turkey vulture {Cathartes aura} in flight, Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA

Doug Wechsler / Turkey Vulture {Cathartes aura} sunning, Big Cypress NP, Florida, USA

Doug Wechsler / Turkey Vulture {Cathartes aura} close up of wing showing slotted primary feathers, Big Cypress NP, Florida, USA

Mike Wilkes / Turkey vulture flying {Cathartes aura} Florida, USA

Juergen Freund / Turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) sunning themselves on Cardon cactus, Sonoran desert, Baja, Mexico

John Cancalosi / Turkey vultures {Cathartes aura} Texas, USA

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Turkey vulture on termite mound {Cathartes aura} Emas NP, Brazil

John Cancalosi / Turkey vulture portrait {Cathartes aura} Texas, USA.

Mike Wilkes / Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) feeding on racoon. Florida, USA

Mike Potts / Turkey vulture {Cathartes aura} Zapata swamp, Cuba

Tom Vezo / Turkey vulture {Cathartes aura} sunning on cardon cactus, Sonora, Mexico

LYNN M. STONE / Turkey Vulture head portrait (Cathartes aura). Captive.

Tom Vezo / Turkey vulture {Cathartes aura} in flight Sonora, Mexico

Tom Vezo / Turkey vulture {Cathartes aura} sunning on cardon cactus, Sonora, Mexico

Tom Vezo / Black vulture {Coragyps atratus} and Turkey vulture {Cathartes aura} sunning, Sonora, Mexico.

Tom Vezo / Turkey vulture {Cathartes aura} sunning on cardon cactus, Sonora, Mexico

Mike Wilkes / Turkey vulturesunning {Cathartes aura} Florida, USA.

John Cancalosi / Turkey vulture, wings outstretched {Cathartes aura} Texas, USA.

Tom Vezo / Black vultures {Coragyps atratus} + Turkey vulture {Cathartes aura} Sonora, Mexico

Tom Vezo / Turkey vulture {Cathartes aura} on cardon cactus, Sonora, Mexico

Tom Vezo / Turkey vulture {Cathartes aura} sunning on cardon cactus, Sonora, Mexico

Tom Vezo / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) perching on Cardon (Pachycereus pringlei) cactus, Sonora, Mexico

Rolf Nussbaumer / Turkey vulture {Cathartes aura} Texas, USA.

Tom Vezo / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) flying, Florida

Tom Vezo / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) feeding on carcass, Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Tom Vezo / American Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus), Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway), and Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) scavenging on carcass, Rio Grande Valley, Texas

Yva Momatiuk & John Eastcott / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) perched on snag over wetlands, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida

Yva Momatiuk & John Eastcott / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) adult perched on branch drying its wings in morning sun, spring, Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Texas

Jim Brandenburg / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) flying over Pfeiffer State Park, Big Sur, California

Jim Brandenburg / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) perching on Birch (Betula sp) snag, Minnesota

Adrian Davies / Kirlian photograph of Geranium leaf {Geranium sp}

Adrian Davies / Kirlian photograph of Sycamore leaf {Acer pseudoplatanus}

Adrian Davies / Kirlian photograph of Nettle leaf {Urtica sp}

Patricio Robles Gil / Turkey vulture sunning {Cathartes aura} Serranius del Burro, Coahuila, Mexico

Tom Vezo / Turkey vulture perched {Cathartes aura} Arizona, USA Carr Canyon

John Cancalosi / Turkey vulture sunning {Cathartes aura} Texas, USA

John Cancalosi / Turkey vulture sunning {Cathartes aura} Texas, USA

John Cancalosi / Turkey vulture portrait {Cathartes aura} Texas, USA

Tom Vezo / Turkey vulture in flight {Cathartes aura} Arizona, USA, North America

Dietmar Nill / Turkey vulture spreading wings. Costa Rica

Larry Michael / Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura)

Sebastian Kennerknecht / Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) trio flying along coast, Big Sur, California