National Safe Boating Week is underway
By Steven Brodsky
Photo by Steven Brodsky
… National Safe Boating Week continues through May 22, 2026.
From a news release that was issued by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) on May 14, 2026:
“Excitement is beginning to build statewide for the unofficial start of the summer boating season, which typically occurs over the Memorial Day holiday weekend,” said Mark Sweppenhiser, Director of the PFBC Bureau of Boating. “With so many options for boating in Pennsylvania, from paddling, waterskiing, fishing, or just relaxing on a pontoon boat, National Safe Boating Week is a reminder to begin every boating adventure with a few safety steps. By always putting safety first, you can focus on having fun on the water.”
Boaters are encouraged to follow a checklist of basic safety guidelines before and during each boating adventure, including:
- Always wear a life jacket
- Never boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Have a float plan to let someone know when and where you will be boating
- Check the weather forecast for storms and high-water conditions
- Take a Boating Safety Education Course
- Have proper registrations or launch permits for your boat
As a reminder, the legal limit for operating any watercraft in Pennsylvania is .08% blood alcohol concentration, and penalties for boating under the influence are similar to those for driving a motor vehicle while impaired. PFBC Waterways Conservation Officers will be on patrol throughout the boating season looking for impaired boaters.
For more information on safe boating, to take a Boating Safety Education Course, and to purchase launch permits, boat registration renewals, and fishing licenses, visit Fishandboat.com.
Posted 5-18-26
Poison ivy
By Steven Brodsky
A species of poison ivy growing next to other species of plants
Photo by Steven Brodsky
… exposure results in lots of itchin’ (and bitchin’). Exposure is dangerous.
Exercise caution when you are around poison ivy (and other plants that contain urushiol).
A cautionary message about another kind of “poison ivy” is conveyed in this song that was written by Leiber and Stoller:
There we have it, an article intended to remind us to avoid exposure to poison ivy.
“Poison Ivy” was recorded by the Coasters in 1959.
Posted 4-26-26
Did you know that the fiction writer mentioned in a hugely popular song recorded by The Police was a lepidopterist and a scientific illustrator of butterflies?
By Steven Brodsky
… That fiction writer, Vladimir Nabokov (the author of Lolita), was born on April 22, 1899.
This article appears here in commemoration of Vladimir Nabokov’s birthday tomorrow.
“Don’t Stand So Close To Me,” written by Sting and recorded by The Police, alludes to the novel Lolita and namechecks Nabokov. (The pronunciation of the name “Nabokov” on the record is different than how Nabokov pronounced it.)
About Nabokov and butterflies: Lolita’s Butterflies – California Academy of Sciences.
Want to learn more about Nabokov and the passion that he had for lepidopterology? Read his memoir Speak, Memory.
Posted 4-21-26
Final approval to Pennsylvania’s 2026-2027 hunting and trapping seasons and bag limits was given by the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners
By Steven Brodsky
The following news release was issued by the Pennsylvania Game Commission yesterday, April 11, 2026:
FINAL 2026-27 HUNTING SEASONS APPROVED
The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave final approval to the 2026-27 hunting and trapping seasons and bag limits.
All 2026-27 seasons include the Sundays that fall within their listed start and end dates. Also, seasons that previously ended on Saturdays largely will end on Sundays, providing additional days of opportunity throughout the year.
The lone exception is for migratory game birds. There will be no Sunday hunting for migratory game birds – including waterfowl, woodcock and mourning doves – this coming season.
The Game Commission surveyed migratory game bird hunters in recent weeks, which showed a slight preference for keeping Sundays out of migratory seasons, allowing seasons to stretch farther. That, combined with federal rules that say if Pennsylvania starts incorporating Sundays into migratory seasons, it must do so always – there’s no going back – led commissioners to exclude Sundays for the 2026-27 seasons. Agency staff and board members say they will revisit the issue prior to 2027-28 after further study and input.
The full slate of migratory game bird seasons, which are set through federal frameworks, will be announced after they are finalized.
The approved 2026-27 seasons include several significant changes:
- For wild turkeys, a bag limit of one spring gobbler is approved to offset possible additional harvest due to the inclusion of Sundays and ensure that harvest rates remain within sustainable levels. Hunters are reminded that no Sundays are open for the upcoming 2026 spring gobbler season. Sunday hunting for spring turkeys won’t begin until 2027.
- For white-tailed deer, minor adjustments to date structures of extended firearms, flintlock and late archery seasons are approved to reduce complexity and to ensure season lengths correspond to sporting-arm efficiency and management objectives.
- For black bears, in WMUs 3C and 3D, a longer archery bear season (overlapping with the entire first segment of the archery deer season) is approved to increase harvest in response to bear-human conflicts in these areas.
- For elk, a new early October firearms season segment is approved to limit crowding and maintain hunter satisfaction under current and potential future increased license allocations. The late firearms elk season is approved to be moved later in January to avoid conflicts with major holidays.
- For small game, the squirrel, ruffed grouse, rabbit, pheasant, bobwhite quail and woodchuck seasons all are approved to remain open during the firearms deer season.
- For furbearers, WMU 5A is approved to be opened to bobcat hunting and trapping, and WMUs 2G, 3A, and 4C are approved to be opened to river otter trapping. Habitat and population data indicate that these units can support sustainable harvest for these species.
The Game Commission also announced 1,469,000 antlerless deer licenses will be allocated statewide for 2026-27, which is up from the 1,312,000 licenses allocated for 2025-26.
Allocations by Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) are as follows, with the allocation from the previous license year appearing in parentheses. WMU 1A – 52,000 (46,000); WMU 1B – 44,000 (44,000); WMU 2A – 49,000 (44,000); WMU 2B – 62,000 (59,000); WMU 2C – 117,000 (93,000); WMU 2D – 112,000 (96,000); WMU 2E – 63,000 (51,000); WMU 2F – 67,000 (51,000); WMU 2G – 57,000 (57,000); WMU 3A – 21,000 (21,000); WMU 3B – 53,000 (53,000); WMU 3C – 57,000 (57,000); WMU 3D – 52,000 (52,000); WMU 4A – 64,000 (64,000); WMU 4B – 71,000 (60,000); WMU 4C – 51,000 (51,000); WMU 4D – 120,000 (83,000); WMU 4E – 61,000 (61,000); WMU 5A – 65,000 (46,000); WMU 5B – 86,000 (86,000); WMU 5C – 101,000 (98,000); and WMU 5D – 44,000 (39,000).
Once again this year, each Pennsylvania resident hunter will be guaranteed one antlerless deer license in the Wildlife Management Unit of their choice, as long as they buy the license before sales open to nonresidents. Resident hunters can purchase a guaranteed tag at any time between 8 a.m. on June 22, when 2026-27 hunting licenses go on sale, and 8 a.m. on July 13, when nonresidents are eligible to purchase an antlerless license in WMUs where licenses remain available.
All hunters may purchase a second antlerless license for any available WMU in the second round of sales to begin July 27 at 8 a.m. Similarly, the third round begins at 8 a.m. Aug. 10, when a hunter can get a third license. The fourth round – during which hunters can purchase additional tags to reach their personal limit of six active antlerless licenses – begins Aug. 24 at 8 a.m.
After the guaranteed period closes, though, all antlerless licenses are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis, with tags only available before the allocated number for the WMU is sold out.
Meanwhile, 155 elk licenses (80 antlered, 75 antlerless) were allocated across four 2026-27 elk seasons, which includes a new October season in which rifle hunters will get to experience some of the elk rut.
For the Sept. 12-27 archery elk season, 15 antlered and seven antlerless tags are available across open Elk Hunt Zones. For the new Oct. 3-11 season – the first regular firearms elk season segment – 15 antlered and 15 antlerless licenses are available. The Oct. 31-Nov. 8 second regular firearms season provides 26 antlered and 25 antlerless licenses, while the Jan. 9-17, 2027 third regular firearms season offers 24 antlered and 28 antlerless tags.
Elk license applications for the 2026-27 seasons go on sale May 1. The application process will be different this year, and the Elk Hunt Zones are being reconfigured and renamed, so hunters might need to familiarize themselves with these changes prior to applying.
Antlerless deer and elk license allocations are based on scientific data and staff recommendations tailored to meet population objectives within each WMU and Elk Hunt Zone.
The final 2026-27 hunting and trapping seasons and bag limits appear below.
FINAL 2026-27 HUNTING SEASONS AND BAG LIMITS
SQUIRREL, Red, Gray, Black and Fox (Combined): Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license – Sept. 12-27 (6 daily, 18 in possession limit after second day).
SQUIRREL, Red, Gray, Black and Fox (Combined): Sept. 12-Dec. 24 and Dec. 26-Feb. 28, 2027 (6 daily, 18 possession).
RUFFED GROUSE: Oct. 17-Dec. 24 (2 daily, 6 possession).
RABBIT (Cottontail): Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license, and Mentored Permit Holders age 16 and under – Oct. 3-18 (4 daily, 12 possession).
RABBIT (Cottontail): Oct. 17-Dec. 24 and Dec. 26-Feb. 28, 2027 (4 daily, 12 possession).
PHEASANT: Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license, and all mentored hunters, regardless of age – Oct. 10-18 (2 daily, 6 in possession). Male and female pheasants may be taken in all WMUs. There is no open season for taking pheasants in Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas, except as authorized by executive order.
PHEASANT: Oct. 24-Dec. 24 and Dec. 26-Feb. 28, 2027 (2 daily, 6 in possession). Male and female pheasants may be taken in all WMUs. There is no open season for taking pheasants in Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas, except as authorized by executive order.
BOBWHITE QUAIL: Sept. 1-Dec. 24 and Dec. 26-March 31, 2027. No limit. There is no open season for the taking of bobwhite quail in the Letterkenny Army Depot Bobwhite Quail Recovery Area.
WOODCHUCK (GROUNDHOG): July 1-Dec. 24 and Dec. 26-June 30, 2027. No limit.
HARE (SNOWSHOE RABBIT) OR VARYING HARE: Dec. 26-Dec. 31, statewide (1 daily, 3 season).
CROW: Aug. 20-March 21, 2027, on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday only. No limit.
STARLING AND ENGLISH SPARROW: No closed season, except during the regular firearms deer season. No limit.
WILD TURKEY, FALL (Male or Female): WMUs 1A, 2G, 3A, 4A, 4B and 4D – Oct. 31-Nov. 15; WMUs 1B, 3D, 4C and 4E – Oct. 31-Nov. 8; WMUs 2A, 2F, 3B and 3C – Oct. 31-Nov. 15 and Nov. 25-27; WMUs 2B, 2C, 2D and 2E – Oct. 31-Nov. 20 and Nov. 25-27; WMUs 5A and 5B – Oct. 31-Nov. 3; WMUs 5C and 5D – CLOSED TO FALL TURKEY HUNTING.
SPRING GOBBLER (Bearded bird only): Special season for eligible junior hunters, with required license, and mentored hunters 16 and under – April 24-25, 2027. Only 1 spring gobbler may be taken during this hunt.
SPRING GOBBLER (Bearded bird only): May 1-31, 2027. Daily limit 1, season limit 1. From May 1-16, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon; from May 17-31, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset.
DEER, ARCHERY (Antlered and Antlerless) WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D: Sept. 19-Nov. 27 and Dec. 26-Jan. 24, 2027. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit. One antlered deer per hunting license year.
DEER, ARCHERY (Antlered and Antlerless) Statewide: Oct. 3 –Nov. 20 and Dec. 26-Jan. 24, 2027. One antlered deer per hunting license year. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit.
DEER, ANTLERLESS MUZZLELOADER (Statewide): Oct. 17-25. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit.
DEER, ANTLERLESS SPECIAL FIREARMS (Statewide): Oct. 22-25. Junior and Senior License Holders, Mentored Permit Holders, Disabled Person Permit (to use a vehicle) Holders, and Pennsylvania residents serving on active duty in U.S. Armed Services or in the U.S. Coast Guard only, with required antlerless license. Also included are persons who have reached or will reach their 65th birthday in the year of the application for a license and hold a valid adult license or qualify for license and fee exemptions under section 2706. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit.
DEER, REGULAR FIREARMS (Antlered and Antlerless) Statewide: Nov. 28-Dec. 13. One antlered deer per hunting license year. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit.
DEER, ANTLERED OR ANTLERLESS FLINTLOCK (Statewide): Dec. 26-Jan. 24, 2027. One antlered deer per hunting license year. One antlerless deer may be taken with a general license antlered deer harvest tag, and an antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit.
DEER, ANTLERLESS EXTENDED REGULAR FIREARMS (WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D): Dec. 26-Jan. 24, 2027. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit.
DEER, ANTLERLESS EXTENDED REGULAR FIREARMS (WMUs, 4A, 4C, 4D and 5A): Dec. 26-Jan. 18, 2026. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit.
DEER, ANTLERLESS EXTENDED REGULAR FIREARMS (Statewide DMAP): Dec. 26-Jan. 24, 2027. Only on properties enrolled in the Deer Management Assistance Program. An antlerless deer with each required DMAP harvest permit.
DEER, ANTLERLESS (Military Bases): Hunting permitted on days established by the U.S. Department of the Army at Letterkenny Army Depot, Franklin County; New Cumberland Army Depot, York County; and Fort Detrick, Raven Rock Site, Adams County. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license or permit.
DEER, ANTLERLESS (Agricultural Deer Control): Aug. 1-April 15, 2027. An antlerless deer with each required agricultural deer control harvest permit.
BLACK BEAR, ARCHERY (WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D): Sept. 19-Nov. 27. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.
BLACK BEAR, ARCHERY (WMUs 3C, 3D and 5B): Oct. 3–Nov. 20. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.
BLACK BEAR, ARCHERY (WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 5A): Oct. 17-25. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.
BLACK BEAR, MUZZLELOADER (Statewide): Oct. 22-25. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.
BLACK BEAR, SPECIAL FIREARMS (Statewide): Oct. 22-25, Junior and Senior License Holders, Mentored Permit Holders, Disabled Person Permit (to use a vehicle) Holders, and Pennsylvania residents serving on active duty in U.S. Armed Services or in the U.S. Coast Guard only. Also included are persons who have reached or will reach their 65th birthday in the year of the application for a license and hold a valid adult license or qualify for license and fee exemptions under section 2706. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.
BLACK BEAR REGULAR FIREARMS (Statewide): Nov. 21-24. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.
BLACK BEAR, EXTENDED FIREARMS (WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D): Nov. 28-Dec. 13. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.
BLACK BEAR, EXTENDED FIREARMS (WMUs 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C, 4E and 5A): Nov. 28-Dec. 6. Only 1 bear may be taken during the license year.
ELK, ARCHERY (Antlered or Antlerless): Sept. 12-27. Only one elk may be taken during the license year.
ELK, REGULAR FIREARMS – FIRST (Antlered or Antlerless): Oct. 3-11. Only one elk may be taken during the license year.
ELK, REGULAR FIREARMS – SECOND (Antlered or Antlerless): Oct. 31-Nov. 8. Only one elk may be taken during the license year.
ELK, REGULAR FIREARMS – THIRD (Antlered or Antlerless): Jan. 9-17, 2027. Only one elk may be taken during the license year.
FINAL 2026-27 FURBEARER HUNTING SEASONS
COYOTE: No closed season. No limit. Outside of any big game season (deer, bear, elk and turkey), coyotes may be taken with a hunting license or a furtaker license, and without wearing orange. During any big game season, coyotes may be taken while lawfully hunting big game or with a furtaker license.
OPOSSUM, STRIPED SKUNK and WEASEL: No closed season, except during the firearms deer season. No limit. May be hunted any hour, day or night, from July 1–Nov. 27 and Dec. 14–June 30, 2027. May only be hunted from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise from Nov. 28–Dec. 13.
FOX and RACCOON: Oct. 24-Feb. 21, 2027. No limit. May be hunted any hour, day or night, from Oct. 24-Nov. 27 and Dec. 14–Feb. 21, 2027. May only be hunted from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise from Nov. 28–Dec. 13.
BOBCAT (WMUs 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 5A): Jan. 9-Feb. 3, 2027. One bobcat per license year. Licensed furtakers may obtain one permit each.
PORCUPINE: Oct. 10-Nov. 27; Dec. 14-24 and Dec. 26-Jan. 31, 2027. (3 daily, season limit of 10).
FINAL 2026-27 TRAPPING SEASONS
MINK and MUSKRAT: Nov. 21-Jan. 10, 2027. No limits.
BEAVER (Statewide): Dec. 19-March 31, 2027 (Limits vary depending on WMU).
COYOTE, FOX, OPOSSUM, RACCOON, STRIPED SKUNK and WEASEL: Oct. 24-Feb. 21, 2027. No limits.
COYOTE and FOX, CABLE RESTRAINTS (Statewide): Dec. 26-Feb. 21, 2027. No limits. Participants must pass cable restraint certification course.
BOBCAT (WMUs 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 5A): Dec. 19-Jan. 10, 2027. One bobcat per license year. Licensed furtakers may obtain one permit each.
FISHER (WMUs 1B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E): Dec. 19-Jan. 10, 2027. One fisher per license year. Licensed furtakers may obtain one permit each.
RIVER OTTER (WMUs 1A, 1B, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C and 4E): Feb. 13-21, 2027. One river otter per license year. Licensed furtakers may obtain one permit each.
FINAL 2026-27 FALCONRY SEASONS
SQUIRREL (combined): Sept. 1-March 31, 2027 (6 daily, 18 possession).
BOBWHITE QUAIL Sept. 1-March 31, 2027 (No limit).
RUFFED GROUSE Sept. 1-March 31, 2027 (2 daily, 6 possession).
COTTONTAIL RABBIT Sept. 1-March 31, 2027 (4 daily, 12 possession).
PHEASANT (Male or Female combined): Sept. 1-March 31, 2027 (2 daily, 6 possession).
SNOWSHOE OR VARYING HARE Sept. 1-March 31, 2027 (1 daily, 3 season).
MINK, MUSKRAT, FOX, OPOSSUM, RACCOON, STRIPED SKUNK and WEASEL Sept. 1-March 31, 2027 (No limits).
MIGRATORY GAME BIRD Seasons and bag limits shall be in accordance with Federal regulations.
Posted 4-12-26
For many magnolias
By Steven Brodsky
Photo by Steven Brodsky
… spring is the season to come into bloom.
Enjoy the sight of blooming magnolias.
Many people have pleasant magnolia-related memories.
Memories of a “magnolia mother’s love” are revealed in the lyrics of this linked song: Billy Joe Shaver Magnolia Mother’s Love.
Posted 3-30-26
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