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Animal Guide

Turkey Vulture

78 destinations · 33 states

Native Range
North, Central, and South America

The turkey vulture is easy to recognize once you notice its bare red head and broad wings held in a shallow V while it soars. Rather than flapping constantly, it can ride rising air currents for long stretches, scanning the ground below for carrion. Its excellent sense of smell is especially useful for finding food hidden beneath forest cover, a skill that sets it apart from many other soaring birds. Watch one on the ground and you'll see a very different bird. It walks with a slightly awkward, deliberate stride and may spread its wings wide to warm up or dry off. The dark plumage can look almost black from a distance, but sunlight reveals subtle brown tones in the feathers. Turkey vultures often gather around food, yet they can also spend long periods perched quietly. Their bald heads are practical too, reducing the feathers that would otherwise become soiled while feeding. At a zoo or wildlife destination, the best moment may come when a perched vulture suddenly opens its huge wings and rises into the air with barely a few flaps.

Turkey Vulture

Where to see Turkey Vulture

78 destinations across 33 states

78 destinations

Abilene Zoo

Abilene, TX

Alameda Park Zoo

Alamogordo, NM

Alexandria Zoological Park

Alexandria, LA

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum

Tucson, AZ

Big Bear Alpine Zoo

Big Bear Lake, CA

Boonshoft Museum of Discovery

Dayton, OH

Bramble Park Zoo

Watertown, SD

Bronx Zoo

Bronx, NY

California Living Museum

Bakersfield, CA

Chahinkapa Zoo

Wahpeton, ND

Cohanzick Zoo

Bridgeton, NJ

Columbian Park Zoo

Lafayette, IN

Cosley Zoo

Wheaton, IL

CuriOdyssey

San Mateo, CA

Dakota Zoo

Bismarck, ND

Detroit Zoo

Royal Oak, MI

Dickerson Park Zoo

Springfield, MO

El Paso Zoo

El Paso, TX

Elmwood Park Zoo

Norristown, PA

Essex County Turtle Back Zoo

West Orange, NJ

Fort Worth Zoo

Fort Worth, TX

Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo

Great Bend, KS

Great Lakes Aquarium

Duluth, MN

Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center

West Yellowstone, MT

Gulf Breeze Zoo

Gulf Breeze, FL

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo

San Jose, CA

Hattiesburg Zoo

Hattiesburg, MS

Henson Robinson Zoo

Springfield, IL

Hutchinson Zoo

Hutchinson, KS

Idaho Falls Zoo

Idaho Falls, ID

John Ball Zoo

Grand Rapids, MI

Lake Superior Zoo

Duluth, MN

Lehigh Valley Zoo

Schnecksville, PA

Lion Country Safari

Loxahatchee, FL

Living Desert Zoo

Carlsbad, NM

Louisiana Purchase Gardens & Zoo

Monroe, LA

Lynnwood Park Zoo

Jacksonville, NC

Manitowoc Lincoln Park Zoo

Manitowoc, WI

Menominee Park Zoo

Oshkosh, WI

Merced's Applegate Park Zoo

Merced, CA

Mesker Park Zoo

Evansville, IN

Micke Grove Zoo

Lodi, CA

Monterey Zoo

Salinas, CA

Niabi Zoo

Coal Valley, IL

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park

Eatonville, WA

Oklahoma City Zoo

Oklahoma City, OK

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium

Omaha, NE

Orange County Zoo

Orange, CA

Oregon Coast Aquarium

Newport, OR

Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society

West Palm Beach, FL

Panaewa Rainforest Zoo & Gardens

Hilo, HI

Phillips Park Zoo

Aurora, IL

Phoenix Zoo

Phoenix, AZ

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

Tacoma, WA

Potawatomi Zoo

South Bend, IN

Pueblo Zoo

Pueblo, CO

Ralph Mitchell Zoo

Independence, KS

Roger Williams Park Zoo

Providence, RI

Rosamond Gifford Zoo

Syracuse, NY

Saginaw Children's Zoo

Saginaw, MI

Scovill Zoo

Decatur, IL

Spring River Zoo

Roswell, NM

Sunset Zoo

Manhattan, KS

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore

Baltimore, MD

The Texas Zoo

Victoria, TX

Tracy Aviary at Liberty Park

Salt Lake City, UT

Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo

Millbrook, NY

Utah's Hogle Zoo

Salt Lake City, UT

Virginia Living Museum

Newport News, VA

Washington Park Zoo

Michigan City, IN

Western North Carolina Nature Center

Asheville, NC

Wildlife World Zoo

Litchfield Park, AZ

Wildwood Wildlife Park Zoo & Safari

Minocqua, WI

Woodland Park Zoo

Seattle, WA

Zoo Idaho

Pocatello, ID

Zoo New York

Watertown, NY

ZooAmerica

Hershey, PA

ZooMontana

Billings, MT

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