BACKYARD BIRDING IN MERIDA, YUCATAN AND BEYOND-AIR BRAKES: YOUNG BLACK VULTURE

Cherie Pittillo, “nature inspired”, zoologist, wildlife photographer, and author, explores nature everywhere she goes. She’s identified 54 bird species in her Merida, Yucatan backyard view. Her column, published on the 7th and 21st of each month features anecdotes about birding in Merida, Yucatan and beyond. Contact: all4birdies@gmail.com All rights reserved, ©Cherie Pittillo

Hop. Jump. Flap. Tag.

I never thought to use these words to describe the behavior I observed of a young Black Vulture at Merida’s Aqua Park. (Note the fine, hair-like feathers on its head which becomes featherless when mature.)

Hair-like feathers adorn this young Black Vulture's head — Hair-like feathers adorn this young Black Vulture’s head

First the vulture landed on a bathroom-sized rock adorned with a small tree. That tree became the target for a game of tag.

Black Vulture hops toward tree to tag it

The vulture hopped and jumped towards the tree, lifted off the rock by flapping its wings, and then landed in front of the tree and touched it with its bill.

Touchdown! Young Black Vulture tags tree after successful landing

Several times it missed the target. Here’s a too close encounter:

Oops, young Black Vulture overshot its landing

PHOTO Black Vulture missed again.

It then ran back to the other side of the rock and continued skipping, hopping and landing. Maybe it was air break dancing. Time and time again. Finally, its air brakes seemed to work fine after several attempts.

Black Vulture runs to other side of rock to practice quick landing at nearby tree

Landing gear down, wing flaps up, slower descent. Practice landing by young Black Vulture

Air brakes work for this young Black Vulture

I watched this young raptor repeat those efforts for 21 minutes and thought it was playing. Luckily I shared my observations with friend and world class birder, Alex Dzib, of Celestun. (alexdzay@hotmail.com) He immediately explained that the vulture had to practice how to land.

Wow, I’d never thought about that part of bird flight. Then I realized I had seen two Tropical Mockingbird siblings feed in a Cecropia tree in my backyard view. I laughed when one bird tried to fly up underneath the leaves to catch an insect, but missed and flopped down and caught itself on the leaves below, a different air break.