Falkland Islands 'Turkey Buzzard', their largest bird of prey, a big solid blackish bird, length: 66 - 71 cm ( 26 - 28 inches), with a bare red head. They can be seen gliding on broad, fingered wings. Turkeys make no sound but can hiss. They feed on carrion of all kinds and will attack weak sheep.

Nesting is between early September and late November. Two, occasionally three, eggs, are laid in a nest which is a simple scrape in the ground beneath overhanging tussac grass or rock.

Turkey vultures are common and widely distributed across the Falklands.

Races occur throughout the Americas from Tierra del Fuego to Canada but C. a. falklandica is also found on the Pacific coast of South America from Eucador and Peru to southern Chile.

Sources include: Falkland Islands State of the Environment Report 2008 Otley H, Munro G, Clausen A, Ingham B. A Field Guide to the Wildlife of The Falkland Islands and South Georgia - Ian J Strange, Guide to Birds of the Falkland Islands- Robin W. Woods.

Photographic credits: Robert Maddocks, David Osborn/Shutterstock.com

Photographs and Images Copyright: The images on this site have been bought under licence or have been used with the permission of their owners. They may not be copied or downloaded in any form without their owner's consent.