For some unknown reason, deer like to cross Route 29 North near my house. And a good many don’t make it. Recently I saw a decent buck alongside the road, which had challenged a passing car and came in second. But his carcass wouldn’t be around long. I also saw 10 black buzzards waiting their turn at the buffet line. They were on mop up duty.
If there is an uglier bird than a buzzard, I would hate to see it. I suppose their mothers love them, but boy, are they ugly. Yet, buzzards do mankind a great service by cleaning up all sorts of carrion, especially deer and especially this time of year. It’s November now and the deer are on the move as does come into heat and the bucks take notice. There will be literally tens of thousands of deer and car collisions in Virginia alone and the buzzards are chomping at the bit. It’s their time to shine.
In Virginia, we have two types of buzzards, the turkey vultures and the black vultures, or black buzzards. Of the two, black buzzards are far more aggressive and will sometimes attack calves and lambs when they are first born and vulnerable. It is thought, however, that the turkey vultures have a keener sense of smell.
Black buzzards are slightly smaller than the regular buzzards, the turkey vultures, and they are becoming more prolific because of their aggressive nature. The turkey vultures have bald red heads while the black vultures naturally have black heads and necks.
It is awesome to behold a buzzard soaring high in the sky trying to detect the slightest odor that will lead them to a fresh kill. Buzzards are one of only a few species of birds with a highly developed sense of smell. When a road kill is located, buzzards use their powerful beaks to rip the food to shreds.
Next time you see a buzzard, pause and thank the critter for helping to clean up the messes on roads. And remember, beauty, sometimes, is not in the eye of the beholder.