2019 Turkey Vulture Trapping Update

2019 Turkey Vulture Trapping Update Raptor View Research Institute

During raptor migration counts on MPG Ranch, we count more Turkey Vultures than any other species.

In addition to the net launchers we use for capturing eagles, we also built a large, walk-in style trap.

Turkey Vultures often roost overnight, and setting baits and traps near roost sites can increase capture success

It wasn’t until April 26 that we captured our first vulture in a walk-in trap near West Carlton Creek.

On May 10, we caught our second Turkey Vulture in the walk-in trap at Florence-Carlton High School.

So far we have deployed wing tags with a nanotag on five Turkey Vultures.

We took blood samples from each Turkey Vulture to check for blood-lead levels and confirm sex via DNA analysis.

Since late May, all ten Turkey Vultures with transmitters have remained in the region.

Roost sites: Each Turkey Vulture’s transmitter attempts to take a location at midnight, to record its roost site.

Large trees seem to be the only requirement for a Turkey Vulture roost.

Locating the nests of Turkey Vultures has proven more difficult than we anticipated.

We captured our first Turkey Vulture, Beaky, April 26 in the northern Bitterroot Valley

In late May, Beaky’s transmitter stopped moving near St. Ignatius, Montana.

We hiked in the foothills of the Mission Mountains towards Beaky’s last known location.

We design our harnesses to break away after a few years of exposure to weather.

We captured Buddy in Grass Valley, just west of Missoula, on May 21st.

On July 22, we observed Turkey Vulture 03 perched near Hwy. 93, just south of Lolo.