What is "turkey vulture"

Turkey \Tur"key\, n.; pl. Turkeys. [So called because it was formerly erroneously believed that it came originally from Turkey: cf. F. Turquie Turkey. See Turk.] (Zo["o]l.) Any large American gallinaceous bird belonging to the genus Meleagris, especially the North American wild turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo), and the domestic turkey, which was probably derived from the Mexican wild turkey, but had been domesticated by the Indians long before the discovery of America.

Note: The Mexican wild turkey is now considered a variety of the northern species (var. Mexicana). Its tall feathers and coverts are tipped with white instead of brownish chestnut, and its flesh is white. The Central American, or ocellated, turkey ( Meleagris ocellata) is more elegantly colored than the common species. See under Ocellated. The Australian, or native, turkey is a bustard ( Choriotis australis). See under Native.

Turkey beard (Bot.), a name of certain American perennial liliaceous herbs of the genus Xerophyllum. They have a dense tuft of hard, narrowly linear radical leaves, and a long raceme of small whitish flowers. Also called turkey's beard.

Turkey berry (Bot.), a West Indian name for the fruit of certain kinds of nightshade ( Solanum mammosum, and Solanum torvum).

Turkey bird (Zo["o]l.), the wryneck. So called because it erects and ruffles the feathers of its neck when disturbed. [Prov. Eng.]

Turkey buzzard (Zo["o]l.), a black or nearly black buzzard ( Cathartes aura), abundant in the Southern United States. It is so called because its naked and warty head and neck resemble those of a turkey. Its is noted for its high and graceful flight. Called also turkey vulture.

Turkey cock (Zo["o]l.), a male turkey.

Turkey hen (Zo["o]l.), a female turkey.

Turkey pout (Zo["o]l.), a young turkey. [R.]

Turkey vulture (Zo["o]l.), the turkey buzzard.

n. A common North American vulture, ''Cathartes aura''.

n. common in South America and Central America and southern United States [syn: buzzard, turkey buzzard, Cathartes aura]

The turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), also known in some North American regions as the turkey buzzard (or just buzzard), and in some areas of the Caribbean as the John crow or carrion crow, is a vulture that is the most widespread of the New World vultures. One of three species in the genus Cathartes of the family Cathartidae, the turkey vulture ranges from southern Canada to the southernmost tip of South America. It inhabits a variety of open and semi-open areas, including subtropical forests, shrublands, pastures, and deserts.

Like all New World vultures, it is not closely related to the Old World vultures of Europe, Africa, and Asia. The two groups strongly resemble each other because of convergent evolution; natural selection often leads to similar body plans in animals that adapt independently to the same conditions.

The turkey vulture is a scavenger and feeds almost exclusively on carrion. It finds its food using its keen eyes and sense of smell, flying low enough to detect the gases produced by the beginnings of the process of decay in dead animals. In flight, it uses thermals to move through the air, flapping its wings infrequently. It roosts in large community groups. Lacking a syrinx—the vocal organ of birds—its only vocalizations are grunts or low hisses. It nests in caves, hollow trees, or thickets. Each year it generally raises two chicks, which it feeds by regurgitation. It has very few natural predators. In the United States, the vulture receives legal protection under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.