TEXAS VULTURES: What bird species cools off by defecating 
on its own legs, and vomits as a form of self-defense? We 
have the answer…ahead… on Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

Some people call them buzzards, but Cliff Shackelford 
says the correct ornithological name for the large black 
birds that dine on road kill is: vulture.

03—We have the turkey vulture and the black vulture.

Shackelford is a non-game ornithologist with TPW.

11— And the best way to tell them apart when they’re perched 
and sitting on that dead deer carcass on the roadside, is: look 
at the color of the head on the adults. The black vulture has a 
gray head and the turkey vulture, a red head.

Vultures circle high above the land in search of a meal.

21— The turkey vulture uses the sense of smell, and they’ll 
smell their prey. The black vulture, though, uses sight, they’ll 
look for prey, but they’ll also cheat. They’ll also look for where 
the turkey vultures are circling—[and decide] I’m going to 
bump in line. And with their numbers, usually the black vulture 
can overcome the turkey vulture and get the first little bites.

More fun facts: vultures poop on their legs to cool off, 
and when threatened, they vomit.

15—This is a defensive mechanism. They don’t have fangs like 
a rattlesnake; they don’t have claws like a bobcat. So, their 
best defense is to throw up what’s in their stomach that was 
lying on the road for the last three days. And guess what? 
You’re going to turn away; it’s a great defense.

Find out about all kinds of birds and birding on the Texas 
parks and Wildlife website.

The Wildlife Restoration program supports our series. 

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I'm Cecilia Nasti.



Total sound bite time:		                 0:50.0
Maximum Script time:		                 0:35.0                     Suggested show time: 85.0 = 1:25