{"id":139162,"date":"2025-02-02T02:43:34","date_gmt":"2025-02-02T08:43:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=139162"},"modified":"2026-03-14T06:59:42","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T11:59:42","slug":"winter-black-vulture-photos-from-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/02\/02\/winter-black-vulture-photos-from-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter Black Vulture Photos From Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge"},"content":{"rendered":"

While at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma<\/span><\/a> yesterday morning, I was delighted to photograph this adult Black Vulture on a bright, sunny winter day.<\/p>\n

\"WinterWinter Black Vulture at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1\/3200, ISO 2000, Canon EF 100-400mm II at 371mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t see vultures during the winter while I lived in Utah, so seeing them here is a real treat. Plus, I see both Turkey and Black Vultures now year-round.<\/p>\n

The vultures at the refuge do a bang-up job of cleaning up any carrion they can find. Vultures are an important part of Mother Nature’s cleanup crew. Scavengers like vultures often get a bad rap, but we need them.<\/p>\n

\"BlackBlack Vulture perched on a possible nesting site \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1\/1000, ISO 640, +0.7 EV, Canon EF 100-400mm II at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Steve Creek<\/span><\/a> and I both believe that this vulture, along with the other one in a nearby tree, are scoping out this dead tree as a possible nesting site.<\/p>\n

We know a pair of Black Vultures nested in this location last year<\/span><\/a>; we just don’t know the precise location. Also, part of this tree fell last year\u2014we noticed because the section that fell was moved off the road by the refuge staff.<\/p>\n

There appears to be a hollow section in the remaining tree trunk that vultures could use as a nesting site.<\/p>\n

\"BlackBlack Vulture in winter at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1\/1000, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Canon EF 100-400mm II at 371mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Having this Black Vulture in my viewfinder yesterday at the refuge was good fun.<\/p>\n

Whether this pair of Black Vultures selects this tree to nest in remains to be seen, but spring is not that far away now, is it?<\/p>\n

Happy Ground Hog’s Day!!<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Black Vulture photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":139154,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_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":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4614,13973,13974],"tags":[4004,4615,14190,13984,4616,10422,16195,153,4018,4427,12949,4618,4617,373],"class_list":["post-139162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-black-vultures","category-oklahoma","category-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge","tag-adult","tag-black-vulture","tag-bottomland-hardwood-forest","tag-bottomlands","tag-coragyps-atratus","tag-dead-tree","tag-possible-nesting-site","tag-raptors","tag-sky","tag-tree","tag-trunk","tag-vulture","tag-vultures","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-vulture-winter-sequoyah-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2677.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-Acy","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":170985,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2026\/03\/04\/black-vultures-in-a-field-at-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":139162,"position":0},"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":156105,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/09\/16\/immature-turkey-vulture-photos-from-oklahoma\/","url_meta":{"origin":139162,"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":130297,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/07\/07\/immature-black-vulture-photos-from-sequoyah-nwr\/","url_meta":{"origin":139162,"position":2},"title":"Immature Black Vulture Photos From Sequoyah NWR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 7, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"On the Fourth of July, I was delighted to photograph an immature Black Vulture shortly after sunrise at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Black Vulture at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/black-vulture-immature-sequoyah-mia-mcpherson-8596.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/black-vulture-immature-sequoyah-mia-mcpherson-8596.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/black-vulture-immature-sequoyah-mia-mcpherson-8596.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/black-vulture-immature-sequoyah-mia-mcpherson-8596.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":140974,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/02\/28\/two-black-vultures-in-winter\/","url_meta":{"origin":139162,"position":3},"title":"Two Black Vultures In Winter","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"While I was at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma yesterday, Steve Creek and I went for a walk, and I photographed these two Black Vultures.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Two Black Vultures next to Goss' Slough, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-vultures-ground-mia-mcpherson-6333.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-vultures-ground-mia-mcpherson-6333.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-vultures-ground-mia-mcpherson-6333.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-vultures-ground-mia-mcpherson-6333.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":115586,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/09\/02\/international-vulture-awareness-day-2023\/","url_meta":{"origin":139162,"position":4},"title":"International Vulture Awareness Day 2023","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 2, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Two Turkey Vultures on a spring morning, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/turkey-vultures-on-a-cliff-mia-mcpherson-3929.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/turkey-vultures-on-a-cliff-mia-mcpherson-3929.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/turkey-vultures-on-a-cliff-mia-mcpherson-3929.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/turkey-vultures-on-a-cliff-mia-mcpherson-3929.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":139162,"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, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/black-vulture-juvenile-in-tree-mia-mcpherson-3404.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/black-vulture-juvenile-in-tree-mia-mcpherson-3404.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139162","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=139162"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139162\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/139154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139162"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139162"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139162"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}