are black vultures found in Michigan?

Question

i raise sheep and believe I saw three black vultures trying to get at a lamb. my livestock guardian dog chased the birds off. when i found the lamb it was missing an eye but no other apparent injuries. it was dead. i am wondering if the birds killed it?

Answer 1

Turkey Vulture:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey_Vulture

Black Vulture:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Black_Vulture

Answer 2

Vultures In Michigan

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
are black vultures found in Michigan?
i raise sheep and believe I saw three black vultures trying to get at a lamb. my livestock guardian dog chased the birds off. when i found the lamb it was missing an eye but no other apparent injuries. it was dead. i am wondering if the birds killed it?

Answer 4

Well, first let me say that New World vultures (family Cathartidae) are mostly scavengers, not predators. They feed mainly on carcasses and indeed are very important as "cleaners" in natural ecosystems.
However, they are opportunistic hunters and thus may attack an animal that is vulnerable or dying, and especially young birds and mammals. It is possible that they attacked the unprotected lamb and killed it.
It is also possible that the lamb was dead or dying prior to the attack of the vultures.

These animals are known to cause losses to farmers (see more at the link I provided). Unfortunately, they thrive on human wastes and proliferate around dumps, just like rats and seagulls. It's our fault that they're overabundant and that naturally occurring carcasses are not enough to sustain their populations :-(


The black vultures you saw are called Coragyps atratus, and they occur in Michigan (indeed, it's found throughout the US, as well as most of the Americas)

More info:
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Coragyps_atratus.html

Answer 5

I've seen vultures in the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, which is on the other side of Lake Huron from Michigan, so for sure you will get them in Michigan, but the probability is higher that they were Turkeys, rather than Blacks, which have a more southerly range. But Blacks could stray north, especially since vultures have extended their ranges north thanks to road kills, which make finding dinner easy for them. I guess they pecked the eyes of the lamb first because it is the most tasty part and easiest to get at without having to tear away the fur and skin of the animal. Of course, vultures are scavengers and would only attack a badly wounded animal which couldn't defend itself. Perhaps the lamb died of a disease or birth defect.

Answer 6

Vultures by nature do not attack, they will generally wait until the prey is near or totally dead.

there are however a great many hawks found in michigan.

Answer 7

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Pull the other leg.Vultures do not build their nests near human habitation.Troll