# There's and ugly side to bird rehabbing you know :-)



## nabisho (Nov 18, 2004)

This young fellow came in to the bird repair center Thrusday. Seems he misjudged his take off and bounced off the window of a car. Unusual for these fellows they rarely get close enough to people or cars to get in trouble but he is a bird of the year so he is young. Most people will never see one of these guys up close or smell them, one of their natural defenses is a pretty pungent oder, kind of a combination of dirty diapers and dead skin smell. He's got a severely sprained leg and wing with some minor nerve damage, he couldn't stand and was lying on his side all day and until this morning. Here he is taking his first re-hab walk along the floor, and it looks like his wings are coming back he can move them again and can stand on his own now.

NAB 

He's a real cutie










We have to hand walk him and hand stretch his wings twice a day to keep them from atrophy










Wish me luck I want to be way up high again soaring near the clouds.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

What a fascinationg looking creature.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

What is he, Nab? And how large is he? He is so ugly that he is beautiful.

Cynthia


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Quite an ugly birdie. How are they around humans, do they bite?
What do you feed him?

Reti


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## Rocky17 (Mar 23, 2005)

*It's very big, what the heck is it?*

I thought some kind of condor but I know little about birds. Good luck with caring for it. Marie


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## Garye (Feb 20, 2005)

It makes me think it's a baby vulture of some sort. And if it is, I don't want to be near it!


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

Turkey vulture. They are quite shy, I've found, and take few chances when going down for dinner. Because they are so large it takes them a bit of time to get some lift so they try not to waste a lot of effort flying away from a meal unless they have to. They are beautiful to watch on the thermals. They're often mistaken for eagles on the wing because of their size, but they fly a bit more "tippy". It seems as if they can "milk" the air currents for every last little updraft.
Those are some great pictures and it's really a striking looking bird and quite handsome in its own way.


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## nabisho (Nov 18, 2004)

*He's a year-old vulture AKA buzzard*

So far he has been a good patient - very cooperative and calm. The adults can be a handfull and they will bite you have to wear gloves with them, but this fellow is very good. He eats a high-protein diet like the raptors mostly sliced calves liver and sliced chicken livers. And we are giving him some supplements to help heal the nerve damage up (liquid calcium etc.). Once we get his wings to flap again he will go out into a big aviay to start building his strength up again, we're hoping for a two-week or so recovery.

NAB


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Thanks for the info.
You are so lucky to be able to rehab all those awsome critters.

Reti


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## Fancyfowl4ever (Oct 6, 2006)

What a fascinating bird, we have several pairs of Turkey Vultures nesting in our area, around here they were almost extinct in this 5 yrs ago(2 maybe 3 birds was the most you would see at a cow carcass or something). They made a come back though. Counted at least 31 individuals last year when we had to put down a horse in the back of our property.

Makes for some great bird watching once they get used to you sitting there. 

Some days I see a pair or two sitting by the road on our horse fence and preen and sun themselfs. 

I hope this lil big guy will make a full recovery and be back on his wings in no time!


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Well, I certainly don't wish him any harm and hope he makes a full recovery. Wish his hawk buddies would take a lesson and eat what's already dead......... Anyway........that ain't the prettiest bird I ever saw...... but glad he'll get a chance at life. They are pretty when they are WAY WAY up high soaring and you can't really see them.... We have tons of these guys around here. It's nothing to see 15 or 20 circling together.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Knew what he was the minute I saw him...see many of them out this a way...

I have heard that the skin on their face is smooth for dipping into their - ah - meals. They don't have to worry about "cleaning" feathers! 

Yep, a face only a mother would love...quite fascinating though. And, a smell, only another of its kind would find attractive!  

Sure wish this little(?) guy/gal the BEST and a FULL recovery!

Once again, Nab, you have outdone yourself. So few of us have the wonderful opportunities you have had to get up close and personal to some amazing animals!

THANK YOU!


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Nab, he is beautiful. Truly! 

I had the great pleasure and honor to "babysit" two baby black vultures several years ago and if you ever see a baby vulture you'll never think they're ugly again. I have a picture somewhere that I'll post as soon as I can. The only part I didn't like was feeding them chopped mice and raw liver but they really are sweet.


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

*Young Turkey Vulture*

Nab,

I agree with Maggie, he is a beautiful bird, really beautful. Reminds me of squeakers. 

I can't smell (since the late 1970s), so I woulnd't mind helping you, were it feasible. Course, I could never tell when I was socially acceptable to humans (my wife is my "nose"). 

If he elected to hang around your place afterwards, you could introduce him as the one who takes care of unwelcome guests, poachers, and the like. 

Or, he could be a mascot for a funeral home. 

Better stop now before I go too far. Haven't buried any family or friends lately, and might be losing my sensitivities and sensibilities. 

But he is handsome. Even if you wouldn't want your daughter to marry him.

Larry


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## KIPPY (Dec 18, 2003)

I think the little guy looks handsome. Very cool looking bird. 

I pray he has a great recovery and Great job on your part for helping him out.

Not too excited about that diet (calves liver and sliced chicken livers).


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I think he is a beautiful bird. We have all kinds of them around here. I don't want to imagine the world without him.

He has a very important job as far as cleaning up road kill, can you imagine the smell? They must have iron clad stomachs to enable them to eat what they do. They have their place in this world, and that makes him VERY important in my book.

Thanks for sharing, Nab.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Treesa, well said. Great post. I agree 100%.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

In addition to being a bit smelly, I think one of their defensive mechanisms is to projectile vomit on you .. quite amazing birds. My rehabber friends gets a few of them in every year.

Terry


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## nabisho (Nov 18, 2004)

*That he does for sure*

But so far he has been an angel and he points his head toward the ground and spits on the mat, he hasn't even tried to spit on us yet I think he knows we are trying to help him - he's a good young fellow.

NAB


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

How did this guy finally come out, Nab?

Pidgey


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

This is the picture of the black baby vulture I mentioned. There were 2 but I thought this picture of the larger one was the best.


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## nabisho (Nov 18, 2004)

*Pretty sad result*

After 3 weeks of high-protien food, steriods and twice daily hand exercisies he still could not get off the ground and fly, there was additional nerve damage in the right wing that was permanant and just wouldn't heal. The demand for pet vultures is pretty much nil so we had to put him down. Win some and lose some I guess, but at least he had a peacefull and comfortable last 3 weeks and didn't get torn to shreds by some cayote or run over by a truck or something. I liked the little fellow and wish we could have saved him, Nancy says he was the best vulture patient she's had in 29 years of rehabbing.

NAB :-(

RIP my friend.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Sorry to hear this "little" one couldn't be saved.
Like you said, at least he had a peaceful end. RIP Sir.

Now the baby is really cute.

Reti


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Nab, I'm really sorry to hear this. That's the bad side of rehabbing, having to make decisions like that. That last picture was really good. He was a beautiful vulture.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

RIP beautiful vulture!

For some reason, Nab, his death really hit me hard! I guess I had hoped so much that he would recover! I am so sorry!

shi


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

I'm sure sorry that one couldn't be saved, Nab. Maggie, that's a cutie that you posted!

Terry


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

Lady Tarheel said:


> This is the picture of the black baby vulture I mentioned. There were 2 but I thought this picture of the larger one was the best.



He's a cutie! I love that baby fuzz with that big strong black beak.


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

*Flying to the heavens*

Nab, I'm so sorry about the vulture.  Like everyone here, I was rooting for his recovery but sometimes things just don't turn out the way we want. 

RIP, beautiful bird


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

I wanted so badly for this fellow to make it. I'm pretty saddened by that.

Pidgey


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## mrflapper (Apr 12, 2006)

*bootiful*

Aww, I think he's a bootiful turkey vulture. I like these guys a lot since I got muscovy ducks with the red masks. What was once "ugly" is now family. 

Good luck with him/her.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

What a shame that the Vulture couldn't be saved.
They are such fascinationg creatures.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I'm sorry to hear the outcome in regards to this beautiful bird.


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## theAussie (Jun 3, 2007)

G'day

I just wanted to say I thought it was a _very_ beautiful bird, and I thank you for the love you gave it and for showing it, I had not seen one before - we don't get them where I am (in Tasmania in Australia). I was upset that he wasn't able to recover and continue with his life, also thankful for all you did and tried to do, and yes, at least he died peacefully and was loved by you till the end. I thought it was a magnificent thing to see! And yes I agree, he had his own place in this world and just so sorry this big creature didn't pull through

love and light
Susan in Tasmania Australia xxxx


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## naturegirl (Nov 7, 2005)

AKA Buzzard? Is that the same as a Turkey Vulture? We have those big birds here and they are facinating to watch in the sky. Found where 4 rest at night and just like a good horror film in a dead tree. 

Cindy


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