Vultures have shifted from scavenging carcasses to killing newborn livestock

There’s a cartoon that’s been circulated showing two vultures who have been waiting and waiting and waiting for the unfortunate demise of what would become their lunch. But for one of the vultures, his patience has been stretched to its limit.

As he flies from their shared perch in a dead tree, he tells his companion something to the effect of “I’m tired of waiting. I’m gonna go kill something.”

Such impatience seems to have become more prevalent, at least for black vultures. Or maybe their appetite for carrion has just shifted to a fresher predilection.

And that’s why Sequoyah County ranchers are on alert, especially when it’s time to welcome into the world calves, lambs, kids and piglets.

Because these days, wolves, coyotes and other predators are not the only threat to newborn livestock. A USDA report on cattle and calf losses shows that vultures are responsible for 10% of all calves lost to predators.

Often called “nature’s garbage disposals” because they eat animal carcasses as they scavenge the countryside, black vultures have become so brazen — or desperate — that they are now widely reported to be preying on live animals only minutes out of the womb, as well as ravaging the compromised mother. “Black vultures are much more aggressive than turkey vultures, which are much more timid and docile. Turkey vultures rely on their keen olfactory system to find food/ carcasses, but the black vulture uses its sight to locate a meal. And when they see turkey vultures discover food, they will often chase them away. Although they are scavengers first, black vultures will also kill vulnerable prey such as newborn livestock,” explains Kendra Cross, assistant state director for wildlife services for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ODAFF). Cross says black vultures have been known to target and kill small live animals, including young lambs, goats, foals and wild animals, such as young flightless birds, baby turtles or snakes. Small pets like cats and dogs also may be at risk of an attack, although it is less common.

“We worked three vulture projects with $5,000 in damage verified. That’s the new rising star is the vultures causing problems, killing livestock,” USDA Wildlife Services specialist Dean Miller told Sequoyah County Commissioners last week in reviewing what the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services accomplished since July 1, 2022.

“It’s been happening further south for quite awhile, but their range is expanding,” Miller explained about the vultures. “There’s more food available and more habitat.

“They love the locks and dam, stuff like that. They like flat, hard surfaces to nest on, so the concrete of the dam gives them a good platform, and then there’s fish and stuff to eat around there. And when there’s not, they’ll go hunting,” Miller said.

“They’re different than the old turkey buzzard. The red-headed vulture has been around for a long time. They’re not nearly as aggressive. The black-headed vultures, they’re really aggressive. The turkey vultures usually hunt two or three at a time, and they’re scavengers for the most part. The black vultures, there may be 25 or 30 in a group. Whenever they find a likely looking meal, they’ll just surround [their prey]. I’ve seen several of these instances where cows with newborn calves, and the vultures are trying so hard to get to that calf, the cow’s just standing over it, wears herself down until she can’t keep them off anymore.

“They’re aggressive little boogers.”

But there are restrictions on what can be done about this new terror from the sky. Black vultures are a federally protected species of migratory birds, so harming them without a permit can carry a stiff fine or even jail time. The birds, their nests and eggs cannot be killed or destroyed without a Migratory Bird Depredation Permit. Permits can be obtained from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), allowing for killing up to five birds annually.

“The Migratory Bird Depredation Permit is issued to ODAFF by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Under the Black Vulture Pilot program regulations, this permit allows landowners who are experiencing livestock damage to request an individual permit and become a sub-permittee. Each permit allows the landowner to lethally remove or ‘take’ up to five black vultures causing damage. Although five birds does not seem like it would be effective in deterring large groups of birds, using lethal removal is extremely effective in reinforcing non-lethal methods and carcasses can then be hung as effigies. If the landowner continues to have damage or need to take more birds, they can also apply for their own depredation permit for additional birds,” Cross says. She says USDA Wildlife Services can assist them in obtaining their own individual depredation permit.

“We’re currently working on some new trapping methods to be able to reduce the numbers,” Miller told the commissioners.

In addition to newborn livestock, vultures have been known to take on adult livestock incapacitated while birthing, as well as other weak animals. Black vultures target the eyes and soft tissue — nose, navel, face, mouth, tongue, anal cavity and hooves — often resulting in serious injury or death to livestock. In most cases, affected animals must be euthanized because of their injuries, Cross says.

Livestock husbandry methods to prevent vulture depredations are the best method of protecting livestock, Cross recommends.

For small operations, confined birth areas — corrals or small, supervised lots — may be the most economical prevention method. Synchronized breeding, which concentrates birth into a short period of time, makes it easier and less expensive to confine animals for birth. Confinement increases labor and feed expenses, but may be economical for operators experiencing large losses.

Black vulture roosts should be discouraged in pastures where livestock are giving birth. Cutting down roost trees may be warranted if vultures begin to concentrate in pastures.

The raptors will also be attracted to a roost site due to an abundance of a stable food supplies. The proper disposal of dead livestock and removal of other humanmade foods may reduce the attractiveness of possible roost sites in pastures, Cross says.

If vultures are using communication towers or electrical transmission lines for roosting within pastures, you can harass them with pyrotechnics from sunset to dusk and use lasers after dark to move the birds away. Pyrotechnics, launchers, shell crackers, propane cannons and other tools can be purchased readily from a variety of commercial sources.

Livestock producers may implement noninjurious harassment of black vultures without a permit. Harassment methods include chasing birds on foot or with vehicles, making noise to frighten the birds and the use of effigies to scare birds from the roost.

Effigies, whether taxidermy mounts of a dead vulture, an artificial replica or one of the birds removed under depredation permit, can be hung in an upsidedown position where vultures can see it. Artificial effigies do not require a permit. Effigies should be placed in an area where vultures are roosting. This method is known to effectively disperse roosting behavior within a week of effigy placement. It is not recommended to place effigies in areas where they are found concentrating around livestock, as this will not be as effective, Cross says.

“There is little research that suggests specifically why vulture effigies work more for vulture dispersal than with other species, but effigies are thought to work by presenting an image of danger for an individual of the same species that attempts to be in that location,” Cross says. “It is an easy perception that if vultures recognize a carcass as another dead vulture that they, not wanting to be killed like their dead counterpart, leave the area. However, that is more of a theory driven by human emotion than actual observed vulture behavior. For example, if an effigy is used that is not realistic looking or a real carcass, or is not suspended free from obstructions, black vultures will attack that effigy and try to tear it apart. Vulture effigies do not always work in every situation, but can be used on a case-by-case basis with great success, especially to deter roosting behavior.”

Is an ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure?

“Proper planning can have a significant effect on how many losses a landowner experiences. For example, moving livestock to an area such as a closer pasture that the landowner can keep a closer eye on during and after birthing season allows the landowner to be able to recognize when birds are congregating and haze/harass them away more quickly. It is legal to harass vultures or scare them away without a permit, but noisemaking devices, such as pyrotechnics or propane cannons, should be approved by local ordinances prior to use. Also, if the landowner has deceased livestock, moving any carcasses out of the field decreases the time that vultures have to find it and lowers the risk of them frequenting the area. Habitat management is another effective method that can be done. Any dead snags or other areas where vultures are observed loafing or perching should be removed, as it provides a lookout for birthing activity or carcass searching,” Cross explains.

Similarly, guard animals may assist in protecting livestock from vulture depredations. Guard dogs, llamas or donkeys which are bonded to sheep or goats may physically intimidate vultures and prevent some losses. Guard dogs also consume after-birth, reducing vulture attraction.

Sub-permittees must also report the black vultures taken to the ODAFF Wildlife Services as birds are taken. The agency is required to report all takes under this permit to the USFWS on a monthly basis. The information required includes the county where vultures were killed, date taken and the number of birds killed with the final disposition (effigies, buried, etc.). Sub-permittees are not allowed to kill any black vultures in excess of the number approved in the sub-permit, or any other migratory bird species. Landowners experiencing livestock loss after reaching their sub-permittee limit may apply for an additional depredation permit through USFWS, Cross says.