Turkey vulture numbers increasing in Junction City

JUNCTION CITY (KSNT) - If you live in Junction City you might've noticed large packs of turkey vultures, sometimes surpassing hundreds of birds.

Retired Geary County Extension Agent and Author of "Birds of Kansas" Chuck Otte said every spring turkey vultures return to the Junction City area. He said the fowl return in large numbers in mid to late March and the vulture numbers have slowly been increasing in Kansas.

Otte said turkey vultures have learned that towns have great roosting sites like cellphone towers and water towers. He said the birds will often form large gatherings overnight. In the morning, the birds will slowly fly over large areas in search of food.

Junction City Resident Steve Day said he's seen groups of 80-100 turkey vultures congregating at the City Water Tower. He said the birds were riding out the recent bout of extreme weather experienced last week in northeast Kansas.

"I had to be out in the hailstorm the other night," Day said. "And when I went by, they were all riding the storm out on the tower. Which I had also witnessed when they were in the tree by my house. They must be some tough birds."

Otte said that while the turkey vulture numbers have slowly been increasing, the bigger change is that they're being seen in towns more often. He said the shift to seeing the birds in town could be due to roadkill.

"I receive calls every year from people either awed or concerned over the large congregations of these big black birds," Otte said. "They pose no threat to people, pets or livestock! Their neck and head muscles aren't strong enough to tip apart fresh meat which is why they have to have carrion to feed on."

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