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Turkey vultures are the stars of Devil’s Lake State Park’s skies all summer long. Many people mistake them for eagles and hawks, but even so, they are a loved part of the park experience. Well, right now, their numbers are increasing quickly as vultures gather from all over the region before migrating south for the winter. It won’t last long though, soon they’ll all be gone.
Turkey vultures have various gathering points around Wisconsin. They begin to gather in ever-larger flocks beginning in August. Their numbers build at these locations until sometime in late September or early October, they decide the time is right, and overnight, they disappear heading south for winter.
At Devil’s Lake State Park, what we’ve come to call “the gathering” happens all of sudden. In a day or two, the numbers seem to double, triple or more! Some years we’ve counted hundreds flying in groups called kettles above the north shore of the lake. The best show it seems is put on during breezy, evenings when the wind is blowing from the south over the lake. The vultures will spin and surf, riding the thermals just over the North Shore beach and picnic area. And don’t worry, they don’t mind humans hanging out and watching them play in the wind. At night the vultures roost in the trees on the west bluff, near the park’s nature center or sometimes just outside the park as well.
Vultures can travel up to 60 miles per hower and over 200 miles a day durning migration! Most of the time, they can hop from thermal to thermal and use the wind to carry them. This saves them a ton of energy.
Eventually, they will end up somewhere south. Some go to Mexico but others will go as far south as Colombia and Venezuela! Millions of migrating Turkey Vultures have been counted annually at migration watch sites in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama.*
Important! If you want to see them…
Again, this is a very short lived nature show at the park. We can’t gaurentee they’ll still be here tomorrow, let along next weekend or after… Generally, they’ll jump a ride on a weather front moving the direction they want to go and they’ll be gone. The point is, if you want to see them, come to the park soon!
Learn more about Devil’s Lake State Park’s turkey vultures here.
Refrerences
- Facts about Turkey Vultures – California Audubon
- As turkey vultures begin migration... – Mail Tribune
- The Annual Turkey Vulture Migration – The Loop
- Turkey Vultures Don’t Deserve the Bad Rap – Iowa DNR
For nearly 2 decades the Skillet Creek blog has focused on 3 main goals; To inspire you to visit and explore the Devil’s Lake region, to help you get the most your visit by sharing tips, events, and other helpful information. Lastly to advocate for our environment & wildlife and talk about how we can keep our natural areas amazing now and into the future! That last goal can sometimes cause controversy, but it’s the only way we can accomplish the first two. – Derrick Mayoleth, Owner.
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