Turkey Vulture

I photographed this Turkey Vulture last summer at the Coaldale Birds of Prey Centre, near Lethbridge, southern Alberta. It was just over a two-hour drive there and the temperature down south was 37C (98.6F)! They have injured birds there and they use them for educational purposes or to release back into the wild if possible.

The Turkey Vulture has a naked head, otherwise feathers would get very soiled when they dig in rotting carcasses. Vultures eat carrion almost exclusively, so they don't need as powerful bills and feet as hawks and falcons.