Vultures: Soaring to New Heights or Flapping in the Breeze - A Texas Perspective

Common throughout the Texas landscape, turkey vultures (Carthartes aura) are routinely observed in a variety of habitats ranging from off shore islands to urban rooftops. Gregarious birds, turkey vultures are often joined by black vultures (Coragyps atratus) throughout the southeast where their ranges are sympatric. These communal roosts have increasingly become problematic for Texans incurring monetary losses from building and vegetation damage, livestock losses, and sanitary cleaning expenses. Additionally, human health and safety concerns rise proportionally with length of stay and population size. The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) and the annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) report positive population trends for both species in Texas. Analysis of vulture data reported to the USDA-Wildlife Services, Texas Wildlife Damage Management Service (TWDMS) from October 1992 to September 2002, revealed a significant increase (P = 0.001), in the number of vulture-related calls received by TWDMS biologists. Counties hosting nuisance vultures doubled (P = 0.001) within 5 years, rising steadily from October 1997 to September 2002. Future trends predict continued increase in vulture populations, making new vulture management techniques paramount in reducing damage. An overview of vulture management in Texas is presented