Conversations About Nature

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is asking members of the public to report wild turkey sightings, July 1, 2024 – August 31, 2024

By Steven Brodsky

… The Pennsylvania Game Commission issued a press release yesterday about the Game Commission’s upcoming Pennsylvania Wild Turkey Sighting Survey.

From that press release:

Public participation is important for turkey population management. Survey data allow the agency to determine total wild turkey productivity and compare long-term reproductive success within Pennsylvania and across states, as this is a standard methodology used across the country. Data also are used in the turkey population model to track population trends.

Turkey sightings can be reported through the Game Commission’s website at https://pgcdatacollection.pa.gov/TurkeyBroodSurvey. Save this link to your favorites for quick access to report turkey sightings. The mobile app no longer is available.

Participants are asked to report the number of wild turkeys they see, along with the county, township, wildlife management unit (WMU), date and contact information if agency biologists have any questions. Participants may also simply drop a “pin” on the map for the location data to automatically populate. Location data are used only for the survey, not for law enforcement, and are not shared. Viewers can also access the raw data and reports from previous years.

“The turkey survey enhances our agency’s internal survey, which serves as a long-term index of turkey reproduction and is used in our turkey population model,” said Game Commission Turkey Biologist Mary Jo Casalena. “Participants should report all turkeys seen, whether gobblers, hens with broods, hens without broods, or turkeys of unknown sex and age.”

Many factors, including spring weather, habitat conditions, previous winter food abundance, predation, and last fall’s harvest affect wild turkey productivity.

Statewide reproductive success last summer, which is measured by the number of young turkeys (poults) seen per all hens seen, was 2.9 poults per hen, compared to 3.1 poults per hen in 2022 and 2021. At the WMU level, reproductive success varies considerably, and in 2023, was either above or similar to the previous three-year average in 15 of 22 WMUs. It was below the previous three-year average in seven WMUs (compared to six WMUs in 2022).

Like many other states this survey includes input from both agency personnel and the public.

“Thanks to the large sample size from all corners of the Commonwealth, we have high confidence in the results,” Casalena emphasized. “Let’s maintain these results in 2024 and even increase participation.”

Posted 6-21-24

A new Pennsylvania state record White Perch was caught near Chester on April 14, 2024 by angler Christopher Barrett

By Steven Brodsky

… Congratulations to Christopher Barrett.

From a Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) press release:

HARRISBURG, Pa. (June 7) – The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is pleased to announce that it has certified a new state record White Perch.

On the morning of Sunday, April 14, 2024, angler Christopher Barrett, 19, and his father, Craig, both of Mohnton, Berks County, departed from Ridley Township Municipal Marina in Delaware County on a 20-foot center console fishing boat.  After navigating Darby Creek, the pair entered the Delaware River and began fishing just below the Commodore Barry Bridge, near Chester.  Christopher and his father were using heavy duty spinning rods fitted with fish finder rigs and circle hooks baited with bloodworms to target Striped Bass and catfish but were also catching White Perch.

At around 11 a.m., Barrett reeled in a particularly large perch that caught the attention of both anglers.

“We usually keep a few perch to eat, and when I went to put that one in the cooler, we both said that’s got to be the biggest White Perch we’ve ever seen,” said Barrett.  “When we got back to the dock, my dad looked up the state record for Pennsylvania, which was under two pounds.  We weighed the fish on our own scale, and it was 2 pounds, 3 ounces.  So, we started to get really excited at that point.”

The following morning, Barrett contacted the PFBC’s Southeast Region Office, and Waterways Conservation Officer Derek Norman arranged to meet the angler at the Bowmansville Post Office where a certified scale was located.  With the WCO present, the White Perch officially tipped the scales at 2 pounds, 1 ounce, exceeding the previous state record, also caught in the Delaware River in 2008, by five ounces.  While only weight is considered for state record certification in Pennsylvania, the fish measured 14.125 inches long with a girth of 12.25 inches.  An inspection of the fish was also conducted, including an examination of the contents of its stomach, which appeared normal for a large female White Perch.

“It was a large fish to begin with and it was full of eggs, which made it even heavier,” said Barrett.  “We’re pretty good at catching perch, so I guess it was a little bit of skill and luck combined with good timing to catch that fish at just the right time.”

In addition to recording the certified weight and the in-person inspection by WCO Norman, Barrett completed a state record fish application which included color photographs and detailed information about the catch, which was reviewed by the PFBC Division of Fisheries Management and confirmed.

“I’m so grateful for this record, but even more excited that I got to share this experience with my dad,” said Barrett. “We go fishing all the time together and it’s our favorite thing in the world to do.  We’ll never forget this.”

Barrett said following the certification of the new state record White Perch, he planned to give the fish to a taxidermist to preserve the memory of the catch.

Anglers who are pursuing a state record, or think they have caught a state record fish, should follow these guidelines:

• Obtain a copy of the Pennsylvania State Record Fish Application, which is available online.

• Comply with all rules, including having the fish weighed on a scale that is certified by the state or county.  Stores that sell products by weight are required to have a certified scale.  Locations such as feed mills or agriculture stores often have scales capable of weighing large fish.

• Fish may only be released after PFBC staff have examined the fish and approved the application.

• The completed form, including color photographs, must be notarized and sent to the PFBC.

• The PFBC will review the application upon receipt.

• The PFBC reserves the right to further investigate the methods used in catching a fish and the accuracy of weight and measurements.

• The PFBC reserves the right to reject any application.

• Anglers catching a new state record fish will receive a certificate from the PFBC and be listed on the PFBC website.

• A list of current Pennsylvania State Record Fish, official rules and application can be found at Fishandboat.com.

Posted 6-14-24

‘Amy Tan’s Backyard Birds,’ an exhibition of Amy Tan’s original artwork and pages from Amy Tan’s journals, will be on view at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute, June 8, 2024 – August 25, 2024; the exhibition celebrates Amy Tan’s new book, ‘The Backyard Bird Chronicles’

By Steven Brodsky

This press release was issued by the Roger Tory Peterson Institute:

Jamestown, NY – June 4, 2024 – The Roger Tory Peterson Institute announces an exhibition of Amy Tan’s original artwork and journals in celebration of her new book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles.

“Amy Tan is beloved throughout the world as an author,” said Arthur Pearson, CEO of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute. “She’s also a gifted sketch artist and an avid birder. Like Roger Tory Peterson, himself, she uses her art and her writing to draw herself into a deeper relationship with birds, which in turn inspires all of us to do the same.”

Amy Tan’s Backyard Birds features pages from Tan’s journals, which form the basis for The Backyard Bird Chronicles, published by Penguin Random House. The exhibition opens at RTPI June 8 and runs through August 25, 2024.

As part of the exhibition, RTPI will host two programs. The first is Observation as Inspiration: The Value of Nature Journaling with Amy Tan and John Muir Laws. During this online program – June 7, noon to 1 pm, EDT – Amy Tan and John Muir Laws will discuss how keeping a nature journal helps us to become more attuned to nature.

“My start in nature journaling and drawing came through workshops with John Muir Laws, co-founder of the Wild Wonder Foundation,” said Amy Tan. “I not only learned to draw, I discovered I could live more deeply in the moment, with curiosity, awe, and gratitude.”

For the second program – Sunday, August 4, 1:30 to 3:30 pm, EDT – Amy Tan will join us in person at RTPI for a gallery tour, followed by a conversation with our Curator, Maria Ferguson. Afterword, Ms. Tan will be available to sign copies of her book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles.

“I would describe Amy Tan’s art practice as that of intentional curiosity,” said Maria Ferguson, RTPI’s Curator. “The result of such practice is a sense of deep observation and wonderment about the birds, through which she exemplifies our shared human desire to feel connected with and find refuge within the natural world.”

The June 7 online program is free of charge, but registration is required. The August 4 in-person program is a ticketed event. The gallery walk is $100 and limited to 25 people. The curator conversation, followed by the book signing, is $25 and limited to an additional 75 people.

To register for one or both events, please visit RTPI’s website at RTPI.ORG, scroll down to Featured Programs & Events, and click on your program choice. Or give us a call at 716-665-2473.

Amy Tan’s Backyard Birds coincides with two other exhibitions, beginning with Kevin Ebi: Five Minutes in Nature. Ebi has spent the better part of 25 years capturing the power and serenity of things great and small in the natural world — from icons in our national parks to solitary songbirds perched atop wildflowers ablaze with the morning sunrise.

The other exhibition is Art that Matters to the Planet: Clarity, which features the work more than a dozen artists from throughout the United States who explore the role of art and artists in protecting freshwater ecosystems.

Amy Tan’s Backyard Birds and her program appearances at RTPI complement a program Tan will present at the Chautauqua Institution on Tuesday, August 6.

Posted 6-4-24

The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) updates the public about chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance and research

By Steven Brodsky

This news release was issued today, May 28, 2024, by the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC):

HARRISBURG, PA – The 2023-24 deer seasons ended months ago as did the busiest time for chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance. CWD, a fatal neurological disease, is a threat to both white-tailed deer and elk and has been detected within the wild deer population in several areas of Pennsylvania. While the most intense efforts revolve around Pennsylvania’s deer hunting seasons, monitoring for CWD is a year-round endeavor. The public can view the results of these efforts on the CWD Surveillance Dashboard available online at https://pgcdatacollection.pa.gov/CWDResultsLookup.

The CWD Surveillance Dashboard continues to be updated weekly and allows the public to view past and current information related to CWD, and for hunters who submitted their deer for testing to access the results online.

Since July 1, 2023, the Game Commission has collected nearly 11,000 CWD samples from deer. Hunter harvested samples made up the bulk of those with over 7,000.

CWD was detected in a total of 291 of those hunter-harvested deer. To date, over 440 deer have tested positive for CWD in the 2023-2024 sampling year, up from 426 CWD-positive samples in 2022-23.

“CWD surveillance is crucial to managing the disease,” said agency CWD Section Supervisor Andrea Korman. “CWD is a serious threat to deer and elk. Knowing where the disease is allows us to focus our efforts to keep more deer from becoming infected.”

One of those efforts is using CWD Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) units to focus harvest and surveillance. For 2023-24, there were 10 specific CWD DMAP units across the state.

Hunters could purchase up to two additional antlerless permits to be used within these CWD DMAP areas. Increased surveillance and hunting pressure in these CWD DMAP Units is essential to keeping the healthy deer from being exposed to CWD.

In addition to CWD DMAP units, the Game Commission selected three areas last fall as Containment Zones (CZs). CZs are small areas – about a 1-mile radius, or the average size of a deer’s home range – around the location of a high priority CWD-positive deer.

Landowners and hunters within these smaller CZs are offered additional opportunities to harvest deer in an effort to remove those that may have come into contact with the infected deer. These opportunities include both special regulations and extended hunting seasons. The Game Commission continued to work with these landowners after the hunting seasons to conduct additional removals surrounding the initial CWD detection.

“The results of this year’s efforts around recent detections were encouraging,” said Korman. “Landowners and hunters were supportive and eager to help protect deer in their area. This increased sampling close to the detections found no new CWD-positive animals.”

As with previous years, most of the deer that tested positive for CWD in the 2023-24 hunting season came from DMA 2, located in southcentral Pennsylvania, and were concentrated in the Established Area (EA) that covers portions of Bedford, Blair, Franklin, Fulton, and Huntingdon counties. This area, where CWD is considered to be established within the deer population, has produced nearly 90% of Pennsylvania’s CWD-positives since the disease first was detected here in 2012.

This is also where a CWD research study is taking place, specifically in Bedford and Fulton counties. This was the second year of the study and in total, crews captured and collared 95 deer. This multi-year project is conducted in cooperation with the Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Penn State University and the Wildlife Futures Program at Penn Vet.

“Based on the number of CWD-positive animals we continue to detect in this area, it’s clear that CWD is a persistent problem and will require long-term management,” Korman said. “People in Pennsylvania believe that responding to wildlife disease is one of the Game Commission’s most important roles. Therefore, the Game Commission must act to address CWD for the benefit of both the resource and the public.”

A critical part of this research is testing deer that have been ear tagged or collared. If any member of the public finds or harvests a tagged deer, please call the number on the ear tags so samples can be collected.

In Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) 4A, 1 out of every 3 hunter-harvested adult deer (over 1 year old) tested positive for CWD.

“These circumstances provide a higher probability of capturing, marking, and monitoring individual CWD-infected deer, but we need to test them if they die to know for sure,” Korman said.

CWD was also detected for the first time in Armstrong County and in two more deer on the east side of the Susquehanna River in Dauphin County.

“Because of this continued increase and spread, we are extending the firearms season in some of the affected WMUs where harvest goals are not being met,” Korman said. “WMUs 4A, 4D, and 5A will have an extended antlerless-only rifle season in January to help slow the spread of disease.”

Agencies are limited in what can be done to address CWD. Reducing deer populations is one of the only tools that has shown results.

“People, and especially Pennsylvania hunters, are passionate about deer, and they’ll do just about anything to protect them,” said Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith. “To do that, hunters can do what they love – keep hunting – and know they’re doing their best for deer populations.”

More information about CWD in Pennsylvania, including access to the CWD Surveillance Dashboard and the CWD Response Plan, is available online at www.pgc.pa.gov/cwd.

Posted 5-28-24

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission urges ‘boaters to follow a basic safety checklist before and during each boating adventure’

By Steven Brodsky

From a Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) press release that was issued yesterday, May 20, 2024:

Today, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission celebrated National Safe Boating Week, which is ongoing from May 18-24, 2024, by urging boaters to follow a basic safety checklist before and during each boating adventure.

The basic safe boating checklist includes:

• Always wear a life jacket

• Never boat under the influence

• Have a Float Plan to let someone know where you’ll be boating

• Check the Weather Forecast before and during your trip

• Take a Safe Boating Course

The Memorial Day weekend is considered the unofficial kickoff to the summer boating season across Pennsylvania.  This event is a celebration of the Commonwealth’s vast boating opportunities, as well as a reminder that safety should be a priority before and during every boating adventure.  The PFBC reminds boaters that Waterways Conservation Officers will be on patrol throughout the holiday weekend to conduct safety checks and look for signs of impairment.  Just like operating a motor vehicle on the road, in Pennsylvania, a person operating a boat is over the legal limit if he or she has a blood alcohol concentration of point-zero-eight (0.08%) or higher.

Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission – Homepage (fishandboat.com)

Posted 5-21-24

The Pennsylvania Game Commission to hold one-day Junior Game Warden Camps across Pennsylvania; registration can be completed online; registration is limited to those who have not attended a Junior Game Warden Camp held previously

By Steven Brodsky

This news release was issued today, May 17, 2024, by the Pennsylvania Game Commission:

Whether collecting forensic evidence that will bring poachers to justice, tracking down lost hikers or live-trapping black bears for research, Pennsylvania State Game Wardens have among the most unique, diverse and exciting careers in wildlife conservation.

This summer, youths ages 12 to 15 can experience some of it for themselves.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission is holding one-day Junior Game Warden Camps across the Commonwealth, providing those who attend a structured, fun-filled day learning about the career of a Pennsylvania State Game Warden.

Campers will spend the day with game wardens, gaining insight into the job and the Game Commission’s mission of managing and protecting the state’s wildlife and habitats while promoting hunting and trapping. Campers will join wardens in light physical fitness activities, confidence-building exercises and hands-on learning stations. Campers will learn about wildlife forensics and methods used by wardens to catch poachers and solve wildlife-related crimes. Other activities will involve wildlife-capture techniques, woodland tracking and outdoor survival.

Unless noted, the camps begin at 8 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. Registration can be completed online. Registration is limited to those who have not attended a camp held previously.

The dates and locations for the camps are as follows:

• Northcentral Region – Thursday, July 11, at Scotia Building, State Game Lands 176, Scotia Range Road, Warriors Mark, PA 16877. Registration is limited to 30 participants.

• Southcentral Region – Saturday, June 1, at Greencastle Sportsman’s Association, 3260 Sportsmans Road, Greencastle, PA 17225. Registration is limited to 40 participants, ages 12 to 15.

• Northeast Region – Wednesday, July 17, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Rockport Hunting Club, 215 Hazleton Road, Newfoundland, PA 18445. Registration is limited to 36 participants.

• Northwest Region – Wednesday, July 10, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at the Game Commission Northwest Training Center, 647 Polk Cutoff Road, Franklin, PA 16323. Registration is limited to 60 participants.

• Southwest Region – Date and location to be determined and announced at a later date.

• Southeast Region – Friday, July 26, at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area Visitor Center, 100 Museum Road, Stevens, PA 17578. Registration is limited to 60 participants, ages 12 to 15.

Posted 5-17-24

The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC), the Maryland Zoo, and the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s Wildlife Futures Program start an Allegheny woodrat captive breeding program ‘to rebuild struggling populations of Allegheny woodrats (Neotoma magister)’

By Steven Brodsky

From a news release that was issued by the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) on May 13, 2024:

The Pennsylvania Game Commission, the Maryland Zoo and the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s Wildlife Futures Program are members of the Allegheny Woodrat Working Group that have teamed up to start a Woodrat Captive Breeding Program (WCBP) to rebuild struggling populations of Allegheny woodrats (Neotoma magister).

Through the program, a small number of wild animals will form a founding colony at Maryland Zoo. The first such woodrat, a female from Mifflin County, Pa. turned out to be pregnant and subsequently gave birth to three pups at the Zoo. Ultimately, she will be joined by woodrats from Virginia and Indiana to breed subsequent generations.

The current pups will stay at Maryland Zoo for a few weeks before being transferred to a soft release pen where they’ll grow and become acclimated to the wild before being released on their own. Because the pups will be released, the WCBP team is taking a hands-off approach so the animals don’t form human attachments that would limit their chances for success after release. Keepers are primarily monitoring the pups via a nest box camera.

“We previously had Allegheny woodrats and were quite successful at breeding them so I’m optimistic about having lots of pups to release into the wild,” said Erin Cantwell Grimm, Mammal Curator at the Maryland Zoo.

Work is also ongoing to improve habitat at woodrat sites throughout their range in the Appalachian Mountains. At one time, the Allegheny woodrat’s range extended from southwestern Connecticut west to Indiana and south to northern Alabama. These animals are now listed as Endangered in Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York and are considered a species of conservation concern in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, and West Virginia. As a result, these states and their university and zoo partners have come together to form the Allegheny Woodrat Working Group to coordinate a range-wide recovery effort and prevent federal listing of the species.

Fragmentation of their forest habitat, the loss of food sources due to invasive species, a highly fatal parasite spread by raccoons, and increased populations of native food competitors like deer, bear, and squirrels are among the factors that have caused range-wide declines of woodrat populations, including a 70% decline in Pennsylvania over the past forty years.

“Woodrat populations have declined so much that they have become isolated from one another. That leads to low genetic diversity and eventually to inbreeding, which is yet another factor in population decline,” said Kate Amspacher Otterbein, Mammal Recovery Specialist at the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

The goal of the WCBP is to produce genetically diverse woodrats that can be reintroduced back to the wild to improve genetic diversity of remaining woodrat populations. This is just one piece of the multi-faceted recovery approach that the Allegheny Woodrat Working Group is developing.

ABOUT ALLEGHENY WOODRATS

Allegheny woodrats are a species of woodrat, often called packrats, that live only in the Appalachian Mountains. As noted by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, they are habitat specialists that require rocky outcrops and talus slopes embedded within healthy forests with plentiful food.

Allegheny woodrats do not hibernate; instead, they build a cache of food to survive the winter. They also often collect non-food items such as bottle caps, snake skins, and shotgun shells, lending to the packrat nickname.

Although this animal is referred to as a “rat” it is more mouse-like in appearance and has a bicolor, furred tail – unlike the naked tail of the non-native Norway rat. It also is distinguished by noticeably larger ears and eyes, a larger, heavier head, and much longer whiskers. It is gray above with white underparts and paws. The average adult weighs less than a pound and is about 17 inches in total length, including an eight-inch tail.

Want to know more about the Allegheny woodrat?

Start here: https://www.pgc.pa.gov/Education/WildlifeNotesIndex/Documents/woodrat.pdf.

Posted 5-15-24

A creature comfort

By Steven Brodsky

… The top of a shrub served as a sort of hammock for this garter snake:

The snake paid rent (so to speak) via its consumption of slugs.

A gardener who was alarmed by the snake didn’t consider that to be sufficient compensation.

The snake was not harmed. 

Posted 5-1-24

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners ‘in a split vote postponed indefinitely final acceptance of the 2024-2033 American Marten Reintroduction and Management Plan, which calls for returning the native furbearer to the state’; the vote took place during the April 13, 2024 Commissioners’ meeting

By Steven Brodsky

From a Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) news release that was issued on April 13, 2024:

MARTEN PLAN POSTPONED INDEFINITELY

The Board of Game Commissioners today in a split vote postponed indefinitely final acceptance of the 2024-2033 American Marten Reintroduction and Management Plan, which calls for returning the native furbearer to the state.

But that might not be as long a delay as it might seem.

The plan outlines a long-term, 10-year strategy to translocate the species back to the state then conduct long-term monitoring to evaluate the reintroduction. It includes strategies on communications, partner engagement, costs and timelines.

The board released the marten plan for public comment in September 2023 then tabled adoption of the plan in January 2024 to collect additional information on habitat and human dimensions related to potential reintroduction.

Today, commissioners universally praised staff in the agency’s Bureau of Wildlife Management, and furbearer biologist Tom Keller in particular, for working to get those answers. Several board members said the resulting outreach efforts have helped erase opposition to marten reintroduction.

But a majority of the board stated such work should continue, to further educate hunters and nonhunters alike and build additional support.

Voting to postpone adoption of the plan were Commissioners Robert Schwalm, Scott Foradora, Allen Di Marco, Stanley Knick, Todd Pride and Dennis Fredericks, who first suggested the idea. Opposing postponement were Commissioners Michael Mitrick, Haley Sankey and Kristen Koppenhafer.

Commissioners said they’ve heard from lots of people about the issue and want to address their concerns before moving forward.

In the meantime, no one should get too hung up on the word “indefinitely,” Fredericks added. The board could revisit marten reintroduction soon, perhaps even before the end of the year.

President Commissioner Scott Foradora agreed this postponement is more a matter of timing than anything.

“I believe in a short amount of time we will have an affirmative decision,” he said.

Concerns over reintroducing martens have mostly been related to the potential impacts of martens on prey species, potential impacts of other predators on martens and the suitability of habitat in areas martens would be released.

Posted 4-15-25

‘Nature rarer uses yellow’

By Steven Brodsky

… wrote Emily Dickinson: https://www.online-literature.com/dickinson/poems-series-2/106/.

Thought of the poem today when this early spring spattering of translucent yellow came into view trailside in a National Park:

Some of this column’s readers will recall the Emily Dickinson poem the next time that they take notice of nature’s yellow in the great outdoors.

Posted 3-24-24

‘Inch by inch’

By Steven Brodsky

… and “row by row,” gardeners this spring will be making their gardens grow.

A perennially appealing gardening song:

Posted 3-5-24

A tarantula species was named after Johnny Cash 8 years ago, on February 5, 2016 

By Steven Brodsky

… The species is found near Folsom State Prison, the venue where Johnny Cash’s first live album, Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, was recorded on January 13, 1968. The album was released on May 6, 1968.

Folsom State Prison is located in Folsom, California.

The tarantula species is named Aphonopelma johnnycashi: http://www.sci-news.com/biology/aphonopelma-johnnycashi-new-tarantula-species-johnny-cash-03615.html.

Posted 2-5-24

Most people can relate

By Steven Brodsky

… to the kind of death that was experienced by the character in Seamus Heaney’s poem “Death of a Naturalist.”

Posted 7-12-22

A Conversation With Katie Fallon, Author of ‘Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird’

By Steven Brodsky

Katie Fallon is a co-founder of the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia. She’s worked with many species of raptors and other kinds of birds. Katie’s books include Cerulean Blues (2011) and the recently released Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird. Her essays have appeared in a number of literary journals. She has a lifelong love of nature. I’ve heard that the first word she ever spoke was “bird.”

Your new book gives vultures, particularly turkey vultures, the positive attention these non-predator raptors deserve. What brought about your interest in these maligned birds?

I’ve been fascinated by vultures for at least fifteen years. There was a roost near where I lived in West Virginia; every day I’d drive by this big, old dead tree with ten or so turkey vultures hunched in it. They became a familiar sight, and I looked forward to seeing them. Vultures are big and kind of dramatic, and in flight, there’s nothing more beautiful. In addition, they’re the ultimate recyclers—they turn death into life.

Many people in the U.S. have an aversion to vultures. Speak about this.

I think vultures remind people of their own mortality. It can be a little creepy to think about a large, dark bird waiting to consume your body when you die. In general, I don’t think people in the US are comfortable with thinking of our bodies as food. Vultures remind us that life will continue after we die, and that some life will continue because we die. They remind us of our animal bodies. Which can be unnerving!

In the absence of vultures, we’d have major health issues to contend with. Tell us why.

Vultures clean up our ecosystems by removing animal carcasses that could potentially contaminate soil and water. They can eat animals that have died of anthrax and botulism. In the absence of vultures, mammalian scavengers could increase in number, and many mammalian scavengers such as raccoons, skunks, feral dogs and cats can spread rabies; vultures do not. Several vulture species in India have suffered catastrophic population crashes in the last twenty years, and public health has suffered. India leads the world in human rabies cases, and the number of cases has increased as the number of feral dogs increased in the absence of vultures.

People get close to vultures by attending your presentations that feature non-releasable birds. How are these birds acquired? How are they trained?

The nonprofit I co-founded, the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia, keeps eight non-releasable raptors for educational purposes (you need permits from the US Fish & Wildlife Service to do this, of course – the birds aren’t pets or personal property). All of our birds were injured wild birds that cannot return to the wild. We have three vultures. Lew the turkey vulture was hit by a car and suffered an injury to his shoulder that prevents flight. His “girlfriend,” Boris, was shot in the wing, and by the time she reached us the bone had already healed incorrectly. Our black vulture is Maverick, and he was hit by a car, which resulted in a shoulder injury that prevents adequate flight.

Our birds are all trained using positive reinforcement. We avoid negative reinforcement and punishment, and we try to empower the birds to have some control over their environments. We condition behaviors by offering food rewards when the birds perform the behaviors. Vultures (especially our black vulture!) learn quickly, and they are a lot of fun to work with.

What myths and misunderstandings about vultures do these presentations help to dispel?

People are surprised at how clean and charismatic the vultures are – and how beautiful they are up close, despite their featherless heads.

What vulture behaviors do people find to be most interesting?

People often ask if vultures throw up on us; our education vultures usually don’t (unless they get scared). Vultures also expel liquid waste on their legs and feet, probably to clean them as well as to keep cool. This often fascinates people as well.

Which species of vulture are found in Pennsylvania and neighboring states?

We have turkey vultures and black vultures. During the last Ice Age we may have had California condors, too, and possibly some other now-extinct vultures.

What has been learned about migration of these species?

Hawk Mountain has taken the lead on turkey vulture migration research. Dr. Keith Bildstein and his team have placed transmitters and wing tags on turkey vultures all over the Americas. They’ve learned that our eastern turkey vultures are partial migrants—some spend the winters in Florida, some on the New Jersey shore, some in Virginia, and in many places in between. Many western turkey vultures are complete migrants, leaving their breeding ranges in Canada and heading all the way to South America. And still others in the American southwest migrate into Central America and return. It’s fascinating how the different subspecies have different migratory strategies. Dr. Bildstein and his colleagues have ongoing research projects about turkey vulture migration, and are discovering more all the time.

Vultures have spectacular flying ability. What makes this possible?

Turkey vultures are very light – they have almost the same wingspan as a bald eagle but weigh less than half what an eagle weighs. Their wings are long and broad, and are made for soaring.

How high can they fly?

The Ruppell’s vulture holds the record for the highest-flying bird. Unfortunately for that individual, it was hit and killed by a jet flying over Africa at 37,000 feet.

Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird informs readers about lead toxicity in vultures. What is the extent of the problem? How do vultures ingest lead?

Vultures (and eagles, hawks, crows, ravens, and owls) can ingest small pieces of spent lead ammunition in animal carcasses or “gut piles” left by hunters. When someone shoots a white-tailed deer, for example, the deer is usually field-dressed, and many of the organs are left. This can be a delight for vultures and other scavengers! In ecosystems, scavengers often follow the big predators to clean up the leftovers; here, the same thing is happening—a human is the big predator, a gut pile is the leftover, and a vulture or eagle is the scavenger. However, if small lead fragments are still in the gut piles, avian scavengers can inadvertently ingest the lead and become sick. Lead toxicity from spent ammunition is the biggest obstacle in the way of California condor recovery.

The Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia provides rehabilitation for injured birds. What kind of care do vultures receive?

We’ve treated vultures with a wide variety of injuries and ailments—broken bones, head trauma, lead toxicity, soft tissue injuries. Every bird we admit receives an immediate comprehensive examination by an avian veterinarian, and is then treated as necessary with antibiotics, antifungals, anti-inflammatories, fluid therapy, or chelation therapy. They also receive orthopedic surgery if necessary. We do our best to get the birds back out in the wild if possible.

It must be very joyful to enable an injured bird to regain flight ability. Please tell us about a memorable release.

Two and a half years ago we released a female turkey vulture that had been shot with a shotgun—she had three pellets embedded in soft tissue. We had to leave the pellets in her body because removing them would cause damage. Once she was nursed back to health, we released her wearing a transmitter to track her movements. We learned that she travels to northern Georgia in the winters and comes back to West Virginia in the breeding season. We are thrilled that this vulture was able to return to the wild—and thrive!

Vulture watching is growing in popularity. Turkey vultures are very widespread. Where are some of the best places and times to observe them?

In many parts of the southeastern United States, you can see turkey vultures any day of the year in a variety of habitats. In the winter, vultures can be observed roosting together in and near many cities: in Virginia, check out Leesburg, Staunton, Radford, Pulaski, and Charlottesville; in West Virginia, many vultures can be observed migrating in the fall over Hanging Rock Tower in Monroe County and over Harper’s Ferry in the eastern panhandle. During the summer and fall, the overlook at Cooper’s Rock State Forest near Morgantown, WV, is a sure place to see turkey vultures. Hawk Mountain in Pennsylvania, of course, is an excellent place to watch turkey vultures and birds of prey during migration, especially in September and October.

What stimulated your interest in nature?

I’ve always been an outdoors person. I grew up in northeastern Pennsylvania, and I had horses as a kid. I spent a great deal of time with my horses, trail riding and competing, and when I got a bit older I often went hiking and camping with friends and family. One of my favorite childhood hiking spots was Ricketts Glen State Park—it’s filled with hemlock trees and many gorgeous waterfalls. It’s definitely worth checking out if you visit northeastern PA.

Was “bird” your first word?

Yes! My parents had bird feeders in their yard when I was a baby (well, they still do) and my mother says she used to hold me in front of the window to show me the birds at the feeder. One day, she said, “Look at the birds! Look at the birds outside.” And I nodded and said, “Bird.” I haven’t stopped talking about them since.

Katie Fallon’s website address is: www.katiefallon.com.

Posted 4-6-17, Reposted 10-29-19