If you ever read the name MARTIN S LOWNEY, then you are reading lies. Google him. He works for the US department of agriculture's inspection service. He is a government pawn. This is what happens when big government is in control. It's scary. This entire site IVILLAGE is full of people (Rhizo 1?) working to spread false information. They are called "SCHILLS". When someone knows a little TOO much information, be wary. THEY PROBABLY ARE PAID BY YOUR TAX DOLLARS TO SPREAD LIES. These birds are harmless and CARRION EATERS- meaning carcass eaters. They keep down disease, not spread it. They are probably just smelling the afterbirth on the calf. MR LOWNEY spreads these mythical situations across the web. It's repeated and passed down as fact. It's not. It's more big government lies ruining our country. You need to watch out for this government- not the vultures.

Not surprised about your cam-we've not had one single IR cam work, and even our trusty Non-typical Cuddeback flash cam went beserk, altho I suspect animal tampering. The same day my cam broke, a neighbor's dog went beserk barking at dawn, so he turned it loose. Jeff said he and his two sons saw a "black panther" stick its head around the barn, give the dog one swipe across the face, then walk off into the woods without a backward glance. He said it had a "3 foot tail." I was nervous about our dogs, but he said the cat only attacked in self-defense and didn't kill the dog tho he had to 2 take it 2 the vet for stitches. I kept reminding myself that jaguars don't attack people last night while we were sleeping in our screen tent with front flap open when I kept hearing it (?) bawling in the woods behind our house. It happened 5-6 times over two hours time-each time all the dogs in neighborhood would go beserk. Luckily, none of our dogs are loose. I'm still waiting to get my cam back. Since most of the birds spooked and avoided the new chair blind, even tho it was hidden in the brush, I'm going to try out a new bird blind prototype invention idea this a.m. that should make me "invisible" and draw birds to me at the same time.

I found this discussion by accident and thought I'd mention something about this type of bird. I agree with the rehab center. Google farmers and vultures and see what pops up. They hunt by locating vulnerable animals. This may be a newborn calf, lamb, goat, feral kittens, nestling birds, fledglings, etc. The newborn animals get their eyes pecked out. The mother can't prevent it because they hunt in large groups. The newborn animal then gets pecked to death and flesh is ripped off it's body while still alive. It's never good to see something die a slow death but in this case, I agree with the rehab center. Let nature take it's course.

ok, i have waited this long because i couldn't narrow it down. my first love at a raptor dates back to kindergarten- the bald eagle. actually it is pretty "ironic": i can remember asking my mom for a quarter to "help save the bald eagles" i don't know if it was the teacher, or if it was the school, but i remember i needed to take it to class. so, here i was 30 years later, fighting development of plum island as a preserve for their winter and nesting sight. i am proof that educating children and raising their awareness works! now, on the other extreme, i just love the kestrel. this is strange for me because i am a "bigger the better" kind of person- irish wolfhound definitely preferred over a small dg, give me a horse- make it a "heavy horse" there is just something about the spirit of the bird being bigger than its size. i really think they have taht warrior spirit despite that apparant fragility i have heard of when kept captive. although i have never had experience with them. owl are just too tough to decide between. again, the raptors seem to win me over despite size- oh, that screech owl's song! a am partial to barn owls simply because ot the endangered/threatened status. i have never seen one! the great horned does win over the barred, but that doesn't make the barred any less "endearing." i do like the turkey vulture, too. so that about sums it up (love red tails in flight calls, they are always saying something) i ahven't gone in to many species. mostly i am trying to stick to the ones of my area. but, the harpy eagle, now there is a magnificent bird! anyone see jeff corwin with the harpy on his arm? it kept pecking his head. i say pecking because with that kind of strenght it was more like a love tap!