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Post by Ariel Matias on Nov 23, 2009 18:41:35 GMT
I was informed that this is a turkey vulture. Please feel free to make corrections. Still posting old pics here...Got this shot while I got stuck in a traffic jam in the Pan-American highway while I was driving to Nicaragua/Costa Rica boarder last year. The sights of these birds are very common in and out of the city. Shot taken with my ever friendly Sigma 18-200mm OS lens at 173mm, f/6.3, 1/2000s ISO200.
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Post by Bob Kaufman on Nov 23, 2009 20:44:46 GMT
Ariel, this is a Black Vulture [Coragyps atratus] (the dark head distinguishes it from the Turkey Vulture).
Great BIF shot!
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Post by Ariel Matias on Nov 23, 2009 22:35:16 GMT
Thanks Bob, for the corrections. Regards.
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Post by steve pryor on Nov 24, 2009 0:31:44 GMT
Without getting too technical, the conformation of the head and bill, the presence of the visible upraised nares (the nostrils), the rather heavier upper mandibular nail, the longer, and more terminally rounded tail...make this an immature (because of the darkness of the head, and the substitution pattern of several of the flight feathers - being shorter, therefore growing in) Turkey Vulture. Cathartes aura. There is the possibility that were this shot taken somewhere near Caribbean Nicaragua, that it could be Cathartes burrovianus (the immatures of which are pretty much indistinguishable from aura), but the Pan-American Hwy. stretches under Lake Nicaragua as I recall, on the Pacific coast, entering Costa Rica.
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Post by Ely Teehankee on Nov 24, 2009 1:32:20 GMT
A turkey vulture. I wonder if its edible like a turkey. I never heard of anyone eating vultures. Anyway since it can fly, lets just consider it a bird and leave it be. Thanks for sharing Ariel. Mabuhay.
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Post by Bob Kaufman on Nov 24, 2009 3:53:21 GMT
Ariel, this is a Black Vulture [Coragyps atratus] (the dark head distinguishes it from the Turkey Vulture). Great BIF shot! My bad. Steve is correct.
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Post by Toto Gamboa on Nov 24, 2009 4:47:28 GMT
Your 200mm strikes again Ariel! At sa 173mm pa! This lens is really something
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Post by steve pryor on Nov 24, 2009 11:14:57 GMT
Ariel, this is a Black Vulture [Coragyps atratus] (the dark head distinguishes it from the Turkey Vulture). Great BIF shot! My bad. Steve is correct. Bob, Don't fret. I have been vetting bird photos on request for the ID for about 15 years. It will become second nature. I just know immediately what to look for after all this time.
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Post by Ariel Matias on Nov 24, 2009 11:24:19 GMT
Your 200mm strikes again Ariel! At sa 173mm pa! This lens is really something Thanks, Toto. When I saw this bird flying so low, I hurriedly get out from the car and excitedly began shooting. I'm sure that most of you guys can take better pictures in this place with your bigger guns on hand. Thanks for viewing. Regards.
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Post by Ariel Matias on Nov 24, 2009 11:28:33 GMT
Without getting too technical, the conformation of the head and bill, the presence of the visible upraised nares (the nostrils), the rather heavier upper mandibular nail, the longer, and more terminally rounded tail...make this an immature (because of the darkness of the head, and the substitution pattern of several of the flight feathers - being shorter, therefore growing in) Turkey Vulture. Cathartes aura. There is the possibility that were this shot taken somewhere near Caribbean Nicaragua, that it could be Cathartes burrovianus (the immatures of which are pretty much indistinguishable from aura), but the Pan-American Hwy. stretches under Lake Nicaragua as I recall, on the Pacific coast, entering Costa Rica. Thanks Steve, this is very informative. The Pan-American highway, by the way stretches all the way through out the Americas and is considered the longest passable highway in the world. Thanks also Ely for the appreciation.
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Post by Teddy Regpala on Nov 25, 2009 20:24:31 GMT
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Post by bartolome"edd" lim c. on Nov 29, 2009 17:53:50 GMT
what a right timing to have this taken by you... I rarely see this kind flying overhead and I have shortcoming with regard to my lens range. I sometimes mistaken this "turkey"(as I call it) as a kind of kite, especially when they are way,way up high.
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Post by Ed Matuod on Nov 29, 2009 18:13:44 GMT
I like the wingspread, Ariel! Same with Teddy's reference. Thanks for sharing, guys!
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Post by aa los baños on Nov 30, 2009 2:35:36 GMT
good capture ariel
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Post by Ely Teehankee on Nov 30, 2009 5:32:41 GMT
Not a vulture expert, but it looks like a Cathartes aura to me. Sir Ely, hehehe. It eats mostly carcass/carrions. I'll pass if it's serve over Thanksgiving dinner. LOL. If I'm in the middle of desert AND is starving to death, maybe I'll eat these birds before they can get to me first. Wow, thank you for telling me. I eat almost anything and hearing that it is a turkey sounded very appetizing. From now on, I will stick to "Butterballs". Mabuhay.
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Post by Ariel Matias on Nov 30, 2009 21:35:46 GMT
Not a vulture expert, but it looks like a Cathartes aura to me. Sir Ely, hehehe. It eats mostly carcass/carrions. I'll pass if it's serve over Thanksgiving dinner. LOL. If I'm in the middle of desert AND is starving to death, maybe I'll eat these birds before they can get to me first. Wow, thank you for telling me. I eat almost anything and hearing that it is a turkey sounded very appetizing. From now on, I will stick to "Butterballs". Mabuhay. Thanks Guys! Actually, not a few times I've seen these birds eat dead animals along the highway. But like Ely, I will also stick with my favorite MMs
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