BUZZ

Species: Coragyps atratus, Black Vulture   •   Hatch Year: 1987    •   Sex: Female   •   Disability: Human Imprint

Buzz hatched in the wild in 1987 and was found by people while he was wandering down a horse trail one day. They thought that he had been abandoned, so they tried to help him out by hand-raising him, but by doing so, they caused Buzz to become a human imprint. Until 2014, the AEF believed Buzz to be a male. However, after laying two eggs, we found out that Buzz should actually be a ‘Buzz-etta’. With her charm and good looks, Buzz has changed a lot of opinions that people have about vultures!

ABOUT THIS SPECIES

Vultures often build their nests on the ground, and as one of the most intelligent and curious raptors in America, chicks like to explore their surroundings. Vultures can be found hovering above farmlands, forests, plains, and roadways searching and scavenging for dead animals (and sometimes vegetation) to dine on. Many people think that Vultures are ugly, but they are actually very beautiful and graceful when soaring through the sky!

Vultures do not have a voice box like other raptors. A hissing or grunting sound is the only vocal noise a vulture will make. In addition to hissing, a vulture will sometimes throw up on a potential threat, a defense mechanism called ‘projectile vomiting.’