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Re: Vulture vs Martins



I will bet that they were Black, not Turkey Vultures, as are most of the
vultures at markets in Central America.

-- Helmut C Mueller

409 Moonridge Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Phone: 919-942-4937

Permanent email address: hmueller@email.unc.edu


> From: "Stephen Compton" <scompton@sc.rr.com>
> Date: Thu, 13 Jun 2002 21:55:59 -0400
> To: "John Fussell" <jfuss@clis.com>, <carolinabirds@duke.edu>, "Maginnis"
> <maginnis@knology.net>
> Subject: Re: Vulture vs Martins
> 
> John,
> 
> Yes, vultures hung out on the market in 18th and 19th
> century Charleston, near where the butcher sold his meat.
> They were such a fixture down there that they were called "Charleston
> Eagles". Both vulture species are still quite commonly seen all over
> metropolitan Charleston, feeding
> on roadkilled deer, dogs, and such where they can.
> They do not feed at the market, since the butcher went
> indoors years ago.
> 
> Looking back with pride,
> Steve Compton
> Summerville,SC (near Charleston)
> formerly Licensed Tour guide
> City of Charleston
> <scompton@sc.rr.com>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John Fussell" <jfuss@clis.com>
> To: <carolinabirds@duke.edu>; "Maginnis" <maginnis@knology.net>
> Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2002 4:58 PM
> Subject: Re: Vulture vs Martins
> 
> 
>> In regard to whether Purple Martins will go after large birds:
>> Actually, this is probably the reason--ultimately--that we
>> today put up nesting structures for martins.  John Lawson,
>> in A New Voyage to Carolina, 1709 stated that
>> "The Planters put Gourds on standing Poles, on purpose
>> for these Fowl [Purple Martins] to build in, because they are
>> a very Warlike Bird, and beat the Crows from the Plantations."
>> The early Europeans were doing what the Indians before
>> them had done.  And people today continue the tradition.
>> By the way, neither the Indians or the early
>> Europeans likely subscribed to the largely erroneous belief
>> that martins are an important predator of mosquitoes.
>> 
>> Of course, it's nice to think that the Indians and early Europeans
>> just liked having the martins around.  They certainly are
>> pleasant company. ( I remember when, as a child, being
>> awakened on summer mornings by the happy chatter of martins.)
>> 
>> As to whether vultures will come close to suburban yards:
>> I'm sure most of you have seen old pictures of vultures walking
>> around in cities and towns like Ring-billed Gulls--think they still
>> do this in Central America, and perhaps they still do this regularly
>> at some places in the U.S.  The old Birds of America (T. Gilbert
>> Pearson)
>> has a photo of Black Vultures walking in the streets of Charleston.
>> (early in the 19th century I guess).
>> 
>> John Fussell
>> Morehead City, NC
>> jfuss@clis.com
>> 
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Maginnis <maginnis@knology.net>
>> To: <carolinabirds@duke.edu>
>> Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2002 3:28 PM
>> Subject: Vulture vs Martins
>> 
>> 
>>> Greetings,
>>> 
>>> It was 11 years ago that I put up my purple martin apartment. During
>> that
>>> time it was never occupied either by martins or sparrows or any other
>>> thing. This year I was encouraged when I saw a couple of martins
>> returning
>>> to the roof of the apt. house each evening over a period of  a few
>> weeks,
>>> but still remained skeptical. On Mothers Day morning,  my son and I
>> saw the
>>> first signs of nest building. By that time there were 6 martins.  They
>> are
>>> now fully established and every morning and evening the air is filled
>> with
>>> their chatter. About 2 weeks ago I heard them making an awful noise
>> instead
>>> of the usual chatter. On the roof of the apt. house was a young
>> grackle
>>> surrounded by squawking purple martins. The poor grackle finally got
>> the
>>> message and took off for a neighboring pine tree with at least one
>> purple
>>> martin chasing it.
>>> 
>>> Last night my 2 cardigan corgis caught a baby raccoon. Thankfully they
>>> hadn't tried to eat it, but it was very dead. Without giving it a
>> thought,
>>> I flung the raccoon over the fence and into the marsh to let nature
>> take
>>> care of it.
>>> Turkey vultures are not strangers in my area.Today sitting at the
>> computer
>>> on the second floor overlooking the marsh and martin house, I have
>> seen one
>>> circling and flying low. The vulture seemed to pass over the area
>> where I
>>> had thrown the raccoon. A couple of purple martins even chased it, but
>> it
>>> came back later. Do martins usually go after something so much bigger
>> than
>>> themselves? I assume they are trying to protect their nest.
>>> Tell me, can a vulture see something as small as a baby raccoon in
>> marsh
>>> grass?? If it has seen it will it try to get to it and eat it even if
>> it is
>>> fairly close to a suburban backyard?
>>> 
>>> Gail
>>> Charleston,SC
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> ---
>>> [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Cape Lookout Mail Server]
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
>> ---
>> [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Cape Lookout Mail Server]
>> 
>