United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services 1-866-487-3297

Eastern District State Office Western District 152 Schuylkill Mtn. Rd PO Box 60827 4820 Route 711, Suite A Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972 Harrisburg, PA 17106 Bolivar, PA 15923 (570) 739-1216 (717) 236-9451 (724) 238-7320 Fax (717) 236-9454 Fax (717) 236-9454 Fax (724) 238-7274

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Fact Sheet MANAGING VULTURE DAMAGE IN PENNSYLVANIA ______February 2011

Background pounds and a wingspan up to six The turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), a feet. It is historic resident of Pennsylvania, and the predominantly dark black vulture (Coragyps atratus), a recent brown-black with a immigrant, are present in the state featherless, bright throughout the year. Turkey vultures have red (adult) or brown become increasingly abundant throughout (juvenile) head and the Northeast and black vultures have a relatively long, extended their range northward into narrow tail. The Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and undersides of the Pennsylvania during the past 50 years. wings are gray Property damage and nuisance problems except along the Turkey have been attributed to both species. leading edges, Vulture Livestock predation problems have been which are black. attributed to black vultures, and both species The black vulture weighs less than four jeopardize aircraft safety when in or around pounds and has a wingspan of less than five airport environments and are involved in feet. It is also predominantly black wildlife-aircraft collisions (bird strikes). including a dark gray to black head (juvenile and adult). Identification The tail is shorter and wider (fanned) than The turkey vulture is the larger of the two that of the turkey vulture. The undersides of species, with an average weight of four

the wings are dark gray with large white Usually two eggs are laid and these hatch in patches near the wing tips. Turkey vultures approximately 40 days. Adults care for have been reported to live up to 16 years of young for about 3 months. Vultures age and black vultures up to 25 years. congregate in large communal roosts typically located in wooded hollows or Legal Status ravines with drainages into lakes or rivers. Turkey vultures and black vultures are Occasionally vultures roost in backyard federally protected by the Migratory Bird trees, in town, or even on suburban rooftops. Treaty Act, administered by the U.S. Fish These roosts are used throughout the year and Wildlife Service. Both black and turkey but are largest during the late autumn vultures are protected non-game birds in through early spring. Roosts are dynamic Pennsylvania. In order to trap, kill, relocate, and vultures may use different roost sites or otherwise handle a vulture or its eggs, a each night. Black vultures and turkey Federal permit is required. A permit vultures may roost together. Occasionally, application may be obtained by calling the vultures can be observed roosting on water USFWS Regional Migratory Bird Permit towers or radio/microwave towers. Office: PO Box 779, Hadley, MA 01035- 0779; Telephone (413) 253-8643. Federal Damage and State permit applications are available from USDA APHIS Wildlife Services Nuisance and property damage problems program (address above). involving turkey vultures and black vultures include unwanted congregations of these General Biology birds around areas of human activity (homes, schools, churches, shopping areas) Although vultures occasionally prey on resulting in accumulations of feces on trees domestic fowl and livestock, they feed and lawns, residential and commercial primarily on carrion and have adapted to buildings, electrical and radio transmission specialize in scavenging carcasses. They towers, and other structures. have keen eyesight and highly developed Accumulations of droppings can result in sense of smell compared with other bird unpleasant odors emanating from roost sites. species. Vultures Accumulations on electrical transmission Black Vulture have strong bills for towers have resulted in arcing and localized pulling and tearing, power outages. Public water supplies have but relatively been contaminated with fecal coliform “weak” feet, making bacteria as a result of droppings entering it difficult to lift or water towers, springs, or other sources. carry much. These Other property damage attributed to vultures birds do not build includes tearing, and sometimes consuming, nests, but lay their asphalt shingles and rubber roofing material, eggs in dense rubber, vinyl, or leather upholstery from thickets, in hollow cars, boats, tractors, and other vehicles, latex logs, on rock ledges, window caulking, and plastic flowers at in caves and even in cemeteries. Most damage of this type is abandoned buildings. attributed to black vultures, although turkey 2 vultures have been implicated in some correct height above the ridgeline so they situations. Damage to livestock by black cannot straddle or perch beneath it. vultures may involve plucking the eyes and eating the tongues of newborn, down, or The use of tactile repellents such as sick livestock, disemboweling young Tanglefoot, Roost-no-more, or double-sided livestock, killing and feeding on domestic tape may discourage perching in situations fowl, and general flesh wounds from bites. where wire installation is not possible or practical. Barriers such as overhead Concentrations of vultures can be hazardous monofilament grid lines and netting may to aircraft, especially when sanitary landfills also be used to exclude vultures from are situated in close proximity to flight paths protected areas. at airports Although extreme, removal of roost site Damage Control Methods trees and pruning of branches will induce birds to abandon a traditional roost site. As is the case with all wildlife damage problems, the best approach is to consider Harassment (Also see Special Notes Page and apply a number of safe, effective, legal 5) and practical techniques and methods. An integrated vulture damage management Vultures may be harassed away from an area program may include habitat management, with the use of pyrotechnics fired from a 15- harassment, and/or population management. millimeter launcher (starter pistol); shell crackers fired from a 12-gauge shotgun or, Habitat Management The elimination of propane cannons. vulture food, roost trees, and nest sites will reduce the number of birds in the area. Clean farming practices that include prompt carcass disposal (burial, incineration, etc.) and protected lambing/calving will reduce available food sources. Black vultures are often attracted by and feed on placentas before damaging a newborn calf or lamb. The scent of afterbirth can attract vultures from a great distance. Disposal of afterbirth, to the extent possible, will help to reduce this attraction. Prior to initiating a harassment program, consult your state and local laws regarding Where vultures are creating nuisance and the possession and use of firearms and property damage problems by perching on pyrotechnic launchers, and review firearm rooftops, installation of a wire pulled taut discharge, noise and bird sanctuary about 8" above and parallel to the ridgeline ordinances. When using pyrotechnics of the roof will discourage or prevent birds devices, comply with all regulations and from perching. It is important to maintain a instructions, particularly those pertaining to high tension on the wire so that vultures the use of hearing and eye protection. When cannot push it down, and to maintain the using shell crackers with a 12ga. shotgun, it 3 is recommended that a break- action firearm In areas where vultures have habituated to be used to allow examination of the bore noise harassment or where local ordinances after each discharge to check for material preclude noise harassment, helium-filled that may have lodged in the barrel. Mylar balloons tethered by Mylar tape and Pyrotechnics, pistol launchers, shell allowed to rise into the roost trees have crackers, and propane cannons can be dispersed roosts. Habituation to this purchased from sources listed in the technique may occur within several months accompanying supply leaflet. to a few years. Vultures have also been reported to be repelled by presence of a dead In order to be effective, harassment with vulture suspended in or near a roost tree or pyrotechnics and shell crackers must be structure. In one documented case a vulture diligent, persistent, and initiated as soon as that died and hung from a radio tower for the problem is recognized. Birds that have several months resulted in the abandonment been allowed to habituate to an area will be of the tower as a roost. Federal and state more difficult to scare away. To harass permits are required before this method can vultures away from a large, traditional be employed. communal roost, considerable effort must be employed. Beginning at dusk as birds Population Management In those approach the roost site, and continuing until situations where vultures have habituated to dark, fire pyrotechnics at roosting birds until harassment with pyrotechnics, and no longer the flock breaks up and disperses; this may exhibit avoidance behavior, shooting a few have to be repeated each night for up to one birds may restore the scaring effect of this week or more, since different vultures may technique. Vultures are intelligent and be present each night. Continue to use respond quickly when one or two members pyrotechnic harassment to divide the flock of a flock are killed. Removal of persistent into smaller groups and to chase them from birds from a local population increases the area. Since they have a shorter range efficacy of harassment programs, ensuring (25-50 yards), 15mm pyrotechnics fired that birds remain responsive to these from a handheld launcher are recommended techniques rather than habituating to them. for urban/suburban areas (subject to local The goal of this technique is to reinforce laws). Shell crackers (12ga.), with a range ongoing harassment, not to significantly of more than 100 yards are more appropriate reduce the local vulture population. Display of ruse in rural/agricultural situations. of a dead vulture in the roost trees or structure can provide an additional deterrent There is some evidence that vultures can be effect, but this condition must be repelled by the distress calls of other bird specifically authorized on permits. species including crows, starlings, and Nonlethal methods should be employed blackbirds. Recorded bird distress calls are prior to or concurrent with use of shooting. commercially available from sources listed Federal and state permits are required before in the accompanying leaflet. Taped distress shooting can be implemented. Permit calls should be amplified over the roost area, applications can be obtained from the U.S. not continually, but for short periods of 10 - Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) or from 15 seconds, except during the last half-hour the USDA APHIS Wildlife Services before dark. During this time the tape program at the address and phone number should be played continually until dark. 4

listed above. The completed application Devices (EPCDs) are encouraged to visit must be submitted to the USFWS, the ATF website at accompanied by a $50.00 (home owner) or http://www.atf.gov/explosives/how- $100.00 (business) processing fee. Once the to/explosive-pest-control-device- permit is obtained, comply fully with its requirements.html.. Additional conditions, including the annual report of information on pyrotechnics use, storage, the number of vultures taken. Carry the and transportation may be obtained from permit with you during conduct of control USC 18 Chapter 40 at activities. http://www.atf.gov/regulations- Special Notes: rulings/laws.

************************************ 2. Recommendations in this leaflet should ************************************ not be implemented if they would be in 1. Beginning May 1, 2011 the BATFE will conflict with the Endangered Species Act of start enforcing regulations that would 1973. require any individual that is not a ************************************ representative of the federal, state, local, ************************************ or a municipal government to obtain a permit to receive and use pyrotechnics.

Individuals and companies who want to acquire a Federal explosives license or permit or learn more about ATF regulation of Explosive Pest Control

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA orientation, or martial or family status. Persons with disabilities who require is an equal opportunity provider and employer. alternative means for communication of program information should contact USDA’s TARGET Center (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

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