![\"Juvenile](\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/black-vulture-juvenile-in-nest-mia-mcpherson-3368.jpg\" "\\"Juvenile")
Juvenile Black Vulture in nest, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma<\/span><\/p>\nIn North America, we have three vulture species: Black Vultures, Turkey Vultures, and California Condors. Black and Turkey Vulture populations are relatively stable. California Condors are making a comeback, although avian flu has recently been affecting their numbers. Every California Condor chick that fledges is a reason to celebrate.<\/p>\n
For me, this year was kind of special because, for the first time, I was able to photograph Black Vulture chicks in their nest with my dear friend and fellow photographer, Steve Creek, at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge<\/span><\/a> in Oklahoma.<\/p>\n I wasn’t with Steve when the Black Vulture chicks fledged from their nesting cavity in an old tree on the refuge but you can read Steve’s story about that on his website<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Old World Vultures are in trouble, and that is why International Vulture Awareness Day<\/span><\/a> was started\u2014to bring attention to and highlight the importance of vulture conservation. Vultures are a vital part of the planet’s ecosystem and are currently facing numerous threats in the wild, with some species nearing extinction.<\/p>\n When we are in the field and interacting with other people around vultures, we can discuss their importance to the environment and educate people about how valuable they are as nature’s cleanup crew. That alone would be of great assistance.<\/p>\n Maybe we’ll never be able to get other people to love vultures, but perhaps we can help them to appreciate what they do.<\/p>\n Carrion.<\/p>\n Life is good.<\/p>\n Mia<\/p>\n Click here<\/span><\/a> to view more of my Turkey Vulture photos plus facts and information about this species. Click here<\/span><\/a> to view more of my Black Vulture photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Today is International Vulture Awareness Day 2023. I admit to having a soft spot for vultures because they are often misunderstood, and because I tend to stand up for those who have no voice.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":115583,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,4614,1148,13973,13974,1315,26],"tags":[4004,4615,13985,13984,4322,5100,4616,4098,7017,4067,4071,3291,9979,4075,6426,11852,153,4470,2283,165,14193,2315,4427,2443,4618,4617,4193],"class_list":["post-115586","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-black-vultures","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-oklahoma","category-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge","category-turkey-vultures","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-black-vulture","tag-bottomland-hardwood-forests","tag-bottomlands","tag-cathartes-aura","tag-cliff-face","tag-coragyps-atratus","tag-desert","tag-foothills","tag-immature","tag-juvenile","tag-lichen","tag-lichens","tag-nest","tag-nesting-cavity-tree","tag-ranchlands","tag-raptors","tag-rocks","tag-roosting","tag-spring","tag-steve-creek","tag-summer-3","tag-tree","tag-turkey-vulture","tag-vulture","tag-vultures","tag-young"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/turkey-vultures-on-a-cliff-mia-mcpherson-3929.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-u4i","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":139162,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/02\/02\/winter-black-vulture-photos-from-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":115586,"position":0},"title":"Winter Black Vulture Photos From Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 2, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"While at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma yesterday morning, I was delighted to photograph this adult Black Vulture on a bright, sunny winter day.","rel":"","context":"In "Black Vultures"","block_context":{"text":"Black Vultures","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/diurnal-raptors\/black-vultures\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Black Vulture perched on a possible nesting site, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-vulture-winter-sequoyah-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2677.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-vulture-winter-sequoyah-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2677.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-vulture-winter-sequoyah-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2677.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-vulture-winter-sequoyah-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2677.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":156105,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/09\/16\/immature-turkey-vulture-photos-from-oklahoma\/","url_meta":{"origin":115586,"position":1},"title":"Immature Turkey Vulture Photos From Oklahoma","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning I was delighted to take immature Turkey Vulture photos at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge along with some images of adults.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Turkey Vulture thermoregulating in Oklahoma, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/turkey-vulture-sequoyah-immature-mia-mcpherson-8656.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/turkey-vulture-sequoyah-immature-mia-mcpherson-8656.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/turkey-vulture-sequoyah-immature-mia-mcpherson-8656.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/turkey-vulture-sequoyah-immature-mia-mcpherson-8656.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":128520,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/05\/15\/black-vulture-portraits-from-tishomingo-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":115586,"position":2},"title":"Black Vulture Portraits From Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 15, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Last week, I was thrilled to take my first Black Vulture photos at Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, and some were portraits of the vultures that I found.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Tishomingo NWR Black Vulture portrait, Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/black-vulture-portrait-tishomingo-NWR-mia-mcpherson-9655.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/black-vulture-portrait-tishomingo-NWR-mia-mcpherson-9655.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/black-vulture-portrait-tishomingo-NWR-mia-mcpherson-9655.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/black-vulture-portrait-tishomingo-NWR-mia-mcpherson-9655.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":170985,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2026\/03\/04\/black-vultures-in-a-field-at-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":115586,"position":3},"title":"Black Vultures In A Field At Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 4, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Last week I was delighted to come across two Black Vultures on the ground in a field at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Black Vultures in a field at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/black-vultures-in-a-field-mia-mcpherson-8853.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/black-vultures-in-a-field-mia-mcpherson-8853.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/black-vultures-in-a-field-mia-mcpherson-8853.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/black-vultures-in-a-field-mia-mcpherson-8853.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":129700,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/06\/22\/turkey-vulture-images-from-tishomingo-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":115586,"position":4},"title":"Turkey Vulture Images From Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 22, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"On my first trip to Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, I was delighted to take some Turkey Vulture images, where I had also photographed Black Vultures.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Turkey Vulture at Tishomingo NWR, Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, Johnston County, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/turkey-vulture-adult-tishomingo-nwr-mia-mcpherson-9383.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/turkey-vulture-adult-tishomingo-nwr-mia-mcpherson-9383.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/turkey-vulture-adult-tishomingo-nwr-mia-mcpherson-9383.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/turkey-vulture-adult-tishomingo-nwr-mia-mcpherson-9383.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":113936,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/06\/23\/young-black-vulture-snuggled-into-a-tree-cavity-nest\/","url_meta":{"origin":115586,"position":5},"title":"Young Black Vulture Snuggled Into A Tree Cavity Nest","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 23, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"This young Black Vulture in a tree cavity nest made me happy dance yesterday morning at Sequoyah NWR when it was close to the entrance of the nesting cavity.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Young Black Vulture in a tree cavity nest, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/black-vulture-juvenile-in-tree-mia-mcpherson-3404.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/black-vulture-juvenile-in-tree-mia-mcpherson-3404.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115586","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=115586"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115586\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/115583"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115586"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115586"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115586"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Two](\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/turkey-vultures-on-a-cliff-mia-mcpherson-3929.jpg\" "\\"Two")
Two Turkey Vultures on a spring morning, Box Elder County, Utah<\/span><\/p>\nWhat Can We Do For Vultures?<\/strong><\/h2>\n