Missouri Master Naturalists- Springfield Plateau Chapter

Monday, June 20, 2011

Vultures

Watching its sibling break out
Big news on Bull Creek- twins!  Well not exactly but the two vulture eggs in May's blog have hatched 34 days after we found them with Chris and Deb Barnhart.  When we checked the eggs Sunday, one had hatched and was watching the other egg carefully as its "twin's" beak was just showing up in the crack.

Mom and chick
This morning they were hanging out together, looking like a couple of cotton balls with tiny black beaks.  This afternoon, they were nestled in beside mom.  (Click pictures to enlarge)


When we first found them, any approach to the barn stall alarmed the parent who would fly out to the corral railing, then take off.  Last week they would just sit on the railing and watch us.  Now mom didn't blink an eye as I took pictures through the slats of the stall, even when I used the flash.  Maybe we will be their godparents!

Play time
One of the chicks resembles Charley of Audubon fame, only with more hair (feathers).  We decided to name them Na and Megan in honor of our graduate student friends who were with us the day we found the eggs.

Proud Parents






A set of pictures is on this Picasa site.
More on black vultures from a previous blog.