Photo // @davesandford DYK: The turkey vulture is related to the stork, not to any birds of prey. Their scientific name in Latin means “cleansing breeze.” Like all other vultures, the turkey vulture has a bald head. This is so that bits of carrion (dead meat) do not adhere to the skin as they would to feathers. At close range the naked red heads of the adult turkey vultures resemble those of turkeys, hence the name. They are the only scavenger birds that can’t kill their prey. With such an extraordinary sense of smell, they have been known to be able to smell carrion from over a mile away, which is very unique in the bird world. Turkey vultures average 2 1/2 feet tall with a 6 foot wingspan. In spite of their large size, they only weigh about 3 pounds. While turkey vultures may not be the protists of birds, they play an important role by cleaning up the environment by eating the flesh off dead animals before it rots and causes disease. For this particular image, I had just left a local fox den & spotted this turkey vulture just off the side of the road a km from the fox den. Pulled over and spent a few minutes shooting and observing the bird before heading home. I hope you’ve enjoyed my shares this week of some species who don’t get as much attention from the camera as some others. All play equally important roles in Mother Natures big picture. #turkeyvulture #turkey #vulture #birdsofinstagram #birds #birdsofprey #featheredfriends #planetbirds #sharecangeo #cpfeatureme #best_birds_planet #animalelite #destination_wild #raw_canada #birdphotography #nature_hub #ourplanet #wildlife_inspired #wildlifeperfection #bbcearth #explorecanada #animalsofinstagram #500px #exclusive_wildlife #allnatureshots