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/
Saw black vulture tagged 295 at the farm where I live just outside Stockton NJ.
Black Vulture number 246 was seen at the Trevor Zoo September 21, 2016 in the afternoon
We found a black vulture with a yellow tag #165 at the Trevor Zoo in the afternoon.
We spotted a black vulture with a yellow tag #246 at 8:30am at the Trevor Zoo in Millbrook, NY.
Sorry.
I have been watching a pair of black vulture hatchling being raised in a duck blind in Asawoman Bay. Attached is the latest pic of them from 8/16. Are you looking to tag more?
August 04, 2016, a Turkey Vulture landed to eat a baked chicken carcass in my backyard in Spicewood TX, Travis County . On its right wing, the vulture had a yellow tag with the red letters RVP.
Any idea where this tag is used? Spotted on a beach, Southern Vancouver Island, BC. Canada
Seen eating carrion in Rockville MD near Veirs Mill road on 6/29. Thought they were Turkey Vultures but thinking they are more similar to Black Vultures.
Thank You each and every one who adds information regarding tagged vultures!
I took a special interest in the story of #26 because I watched the chick
laid as an egg, pip, hatch and held him in my arms on the tagging day and have searched for him for 3 years now!
Keep posting and reporting sightings. It is a great boost to viewers and and researchers.
Spotted #276 at Western Berks Landfill in Birdsboro Pennsylvania on 6/11/16 getting breakfast with friends.
Spotted #276 at Western Berks landfill 6/11/16 @ 7:49AM getting breakfast
Took a drive and no sightings, no BV or rk deer, probably long gone by now.
We drove through the area for about an hour and traffic picked up and with no sightings, called it quits.
The address and lat/long helped nearly pinpoint the spot.
THANKS ERIK!!! This is a big boost to know he is alive n well.
Erik,
Thank you so much! This is great news!!!
He was seen in Middletown. DE and I’ve been searching for him…
May take a day trip tomorrow, this is exciting.
He turned 3 years old in April.
Black Vulture, yellow wing tag #26 spotted in Nottingham, PA on the Chester/Lancaster County border at the Chester Water Authority Treatment Plant on 6/3/16.
That observation of BLVU yellow tag 26 was today 5/23/16
I just wanted to report that I saw the black Vulture yellow number 26 tag on it’s left wing. It was on the side of the road with a group of about a dozen BLVU. They were eating a road kill deer on 896 between I-95 and Old Baltimore Pike, in Newark DE. It looked to be in good health and was hoping around in a playful manor during the brief time I watched it.
1516-1554 S College Ave, Newark, DE 19702, USA
Latitude: 39.64152 | Longitude: -75.744145
I have seen a tagged vulture near my home twice in the last week. I have not seen it’s number though, but I will keep looking since I have an idea of why it was tagged now. We live in Bee Cave, TX just west of Austin.
Saw black vulture with yellow tag # 284 with a whole bunch of other black vultures on a deer carcass on East Butter Road north of York, PA on 5/21/16.
Saw this one with (yellow) tag #15 around 8:30 this morning. I was able to see the number with binoculars, but you can’t read it in the pic. He appeared to be hanging out with an untagged vulture (no, not the Robin, lol). They were part of a larger group of 15 who were out on the lawn about 30 minutes before this pic was taken.
Sighted #205 a black buzzard with two others on the side of Billingsley road, White Plains Maryland. Right by the landfill a favorite buzzard hang out.
We spotted a black vulture tagged JCL at Paurotis Pond in the Everglades National Park, 2016/4/10. We have a pcture of that bird and the tag.
252 was seen today at 3 Hemlock Terrace and strolled through the back yard to 191 Stoneleigh Ave. He has flown down towards Croton Falls. We have him on video.
[North Salem, NY]
I saw a black vulture in the field near Sardis, GA on April 6, 2016 with wing tag # 202
The are always turkey vultures in my neighbohood, Cannonshire off of Old Batimore Pike and 896. Today 4/5/16 there were a group sitting on the fence in my back yard. I couldn’t get close enough but one had a blue or green tag on the right wing.