One of our long-term research objectives is to determine whether the same black vulture pair occupies the shed each year or if occupancy changes, possibly resulting from some form of competition. Another objective of our multi-generational study is to describe relationships between family members from year to year. When three vultures showed up at the shed January 2013, we wanted to know who they were and whether they were related.
Tagging the vultures enables us to identify specific individuals and to determine their inter-relationships. Leg bands or wing tags are placed on many species of birds each year to assist with research regarding parental behavior, migration patterns, survival rates, extended family associations, monogamy, and minimum breeding ages.
Wing tags rather than leg bands are broadly used to identify individual black vultures. This is because vultures regularly urinate on their legs, thereby killing the bacteria that might otherwise accumulate as a result of their walking through carrion while they clean up the environment. This urination also serves to cool their bodies through evaporation. If the kind of leg bands used for other birds were used for vultures, the bands could become encrusted with fecal residue and result in debilitating leg irritation. For this reason, patagial tags are used for vultures. These tags are secured to the birds’ patagium, a fold of skin in the front of their wings. The tags can be read from a considerable distance, both when the vultures are flying overhead and when they are perched. They remain in place for several years, often for the life-span of the bird.
Tri-State is fortunate to have support for our tagging from David Barber of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. David has extensive experience in wing-tagging and trains others in this procedure. Three interns accompanied David when he tagged a black vulture in northern Delaware on May 7, 2013. They were Marian Wahl of San Francisco, Marta Sendra Vega of Cadiz, Spain, and Hankyu Kim of Seoul, South Korea.
Adult vultures are tagged shortly after their chicks hatch since the adults are much less likely to abandon a nest then. Chicks are tagged a couple weeks before they fledge, after which they are even more difficult to capture. Gender was determined by DNA testing.
The pictures below demonstrate the challenges and care involved in capturing, tagging, and tracking black vultures. Click on a picture to enlarge it.
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- The Capture Squad monitored vulture movements as part of planning for a safe capture.
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- At the same time, wary vultures monitored Capture Squad’s preparations.
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- Tri-State’s Capture Squad is elated after a long, thoughtful, and successful campaign.
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- After capture, the male vulture was brought to Tri-State and monitored remotely in a holding pen until the tagging team was ready.
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- Prior to tagging, measurements were taken by skilled bird handlers and researchers.
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- David Barber of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary skillfully attached a tag with assistance from Tri-State’s staff.
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- Tagging went smoothly and according to plan.
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- The Tag Team, from left: Marian Whal , Aimee Federer, Erica Miller, Greg Keegan, Marta Sedra Vega, Sarah Tegtmeier, Hankyu Kim, and David Barber.
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- Tagged and measurements taken, black vulture #17 Is more than ready to return home.
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- And return he did! Quick like a vulture. All the way home.
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- Explaining all this to his wife was a challange.
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- After the excitement, the parents promptly resumed their routines to care for their chick.
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- Now it was easy to distinguish the adult male from the female.
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- V-Cuber Lynn Helck (right) joined the team for tagging the three chicks, including “Stevie” and the two orphan chicks adopted by the adults.
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- Now it was possible to easily distinguish between the three chicks.
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- Tag numbers are visable whether the birds are perched or soaring overhead.
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- The wiley adult female eluded attempts to tag her. This year.
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- Since the adult male was tagged, we could determine whether he or she was caring for the chicks at any point in time.
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- The tags will enable us to identify individual members of this family throughout the year.
During May and June 2013, four of the five members of one vulture family were tagged with bright yellow wing tags from Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, numbered as follows:
* Adult male: #17 (left wing)
* Adult female (presumed): untagged
* Male chick from adult pair: #26 (left wing)
* Male foster chick from MD: #30 (left wing)
* Male foster chick from MD: #267 (right wing)
On June 20, 2016 two more chicks from the nest were tagged:
• Chick from adult pair #56 (left wing)
• Chick from adult pair #247 (right wing)
On June 6, 2017, two more chicks from the nest were tagged:
• Chick from adult pair #347 (right wing)
• Chick from adult pair #294 (right wing) Died 7/12/17 as a result of a raccoon attack.
Three of these six birds have been sighted since they were tagged:
#17: Adult Male Tagged 5/6/13
5/9/13 Near Middle Run Valley Natural Area, Newark, DE (39d42’52.39” x 75d43’34.67”)
3/9/14 Old Coach Rd x Polly Drummond Hill Rd, Newark, DE (39d42’40.81” x 75d42’40.26”)
5/22/14 Near Middle Run Valley Natural Area, Newark, DE (39d42’52.39” x 75d43’34.67”)
8/6/14 Linden Hill Rd x Polly Drummond Hill Rd, Newark, DE (39d43’02.45” x 75d42’39.35”)
6/11/14 Near Stafford Avenue Park, Newark, DE (39d41’13.43” x 75d43’56.14”)
#26: Male Chick Tagged 6/13/13
9/25/13 New Linden Hill Rd x Boyds Valley Dr, Newark, DE (39d43’15.35” x 75d42’20.10”)
1/12/14 Bridlebrook Lane (?), Newark, DE (39d42’11.99” x 75d46’37.32”)
2/12/16 Woodland Trails, Newark, DE (39d38’52.00” x 75d54’30.00”)
3/3/16 Near Frightland, Middletown,DE (39d31’29.00” x 75d38’55.00”)
#267: Male Chick Tagged 6/13/13
9/25/13 New Linden Hill Rd x Boyds Valley Dr,Newark, DE (39d43’15.35” x 75d42’20.10”)
If you spot any vultures of any species with wing tags anywhere, please report your sighting in the comment section below. In addition, please submit information about US and Canadian sightings to the Bird Banding Laboratory. Include the date and location of the sighting, tag number, species, and any other pertinent information. In return, the Laboratory will tell you where, when, and by whom the birds were tagged. Reports can be submitted to BBL online at http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/
These 2 have been hanging out on/around my garage for the past week. Black vulture yellow wing tag #352 and untagged partner. Allentown, PA
Black vulture with red tags (maybe said 137??) seen today in Harrisonburg VA
Saw this guy hanging out with my regulars today. He doesn’t like his tag and has been chewing on it. Can’t even see the number
Fredon, NJ
Just saw 357 on my farm today. Looking through comments, saw he was in NY recently!!
Fredon, NJ
A pair of mid-sized black buzzards sporting large , vivid red tags on each wing have been in Castlewood , Virginia for nearly two weeks. One of the marked birds has been seen briefly on two previous occasions separated by several months. One of them seems to have difficulty in landing on rooftops in winds over 10 mph. There are nearly 150 (!) black buzzards roosting in the hillside trees above the Clinch River in what is called ” Old ” Castlewood. They have lived here in large numbers for the last 5 years. I enjoy them much more than the few neighbors do .
I saw this buzzard today 3-17-2021 in Powhatan , Va 23139
my wife saw a vulture out at her work on fulling mill road in middletown pa and it had atag on its wing with a 25a number on it im just curious to see where and when it was tug
Yellow tag 357 seen on vulture in Pleasantville NY on 3/1 with several other vultures.
White tag on a black vulture in Norwich CT with the number 155 on 2/24/21.
Number 370 was on my roof in Gardiner, NY on Saturday (2-13-2021).
Seen in Hudson, NY on February 11, 2021
We had 3 vultures start eating our open garage cat food over 4 yrs now. Today Feb. 3 2021, a tagged 56 A was with them. We live in New Oxford, PA our area is called Hampton. I’d love to know his story, since we’ve had 3 off and on all these yrs. Thanks
Today we saw a tagged black vulture on our deck. This is the first time we’ve noticed a tagged vulture. It was yellow tag # 275. Located in Middletown, DE.
Forgot to add the location:
45 Mayor Aitken Drive
Bridgeton, NJ 08302
We have about 45 vultures that frequent our zoo. First tagged one spotted today. #391
I live in Croton on Hudson, N.Y. 10520 and the trees overhead have had over 100 black vultures frequently! Almost daily, I have 2 sometimes a 3rd (offspring) several times a day (named Shady and Ebony) who love to steal the feral cat’s wet food! Last week, I noticed a 3rd one who was tagged on the wing with the # 370. A friend of mine is the Croton Bird Commissioner and she let me know about the wing tagging which I was concerned about thinking it might hurt them! Shady and Ebony have been part of my life and my entertainment for several years now…Thank you- Barbara
Jan 23 2021, I seen a black vulture with a red tag on its left wing at the intersection of U.S. 211 AND VIEWTOWN RD, in amissville va. I was unable to view any tag numbers as I drove by. I turned around to check again but I think the bird flew into the other side of the hill.
I was leading a bird walk at the Great Marsh in Chester County PA this morning (01/17/21) and a Black Vulture with red wing tags flew over. I was able to get a few shots in which I believe the number on the tags can be made out. It looks like either E98 or 863.
Green tag #37A tagged with both wings on a black buzzard is hanging out with the flock of about 30 that roosts in my pine trees in the New Tripoli, Pa. area.
1-14-21 around 10 am.
“42A”. Seen on 13Jan2021 in Whitehall, PA eating a roadkill raccoon with other birds.
I just saw #355 in Chester, Connecticut….a black vulture….I’m so pleased to learn that nothing nefarious was going on, but that your organization has only positive intentions with these birds!!!! I regularly feed anywhere from one or two to dozens of vultures, both black and turkey vultures, with leftover food from the kitchen where I work! They’ve been dining on such things as meatloaf, pot roast, and chicken al fredo for about the past 10 yrs now!! :~)) I’d like to know more about #355, and where this bird has been!!!
To Karen with the green tagged vulture on 12/15/20 — green tag probably means he is being tracked by USDA. You can report it at http://www.reportband.gov (though the website doesn’t seem to be working for me right now) or bandreports@usgs.gov.
Black vulture, yellow tag on left wing, # 388. In my back yard in West Chester, PA on 12/28/20 and 12/29/20.
Have a new vulture with tags on both wings red . M96. I live in York county near Newberrytown on a farm.
The website will not post my picture. The tag is green, 35A.