A group of vultures is known by several names, including “wake,” “committee,” “venue,” “volt” and “kettle.” It’s not unusual for large gatherings of them to be visible in Missouri during the winter months as the big raptors (commonly called buzzards) migrate from regions in more northerly latitudes in search of a more temperate climate.
But something that could probably be placed in the unusual category is when a kettle of buzzards brews in the backyard of a house in a populated in-town neighborhood. Such is the case this year in Houston, as hundreds of them have chosen to roost on a nightly basis in a couple of trees in the backyard of an Ozark Street residence.
“They’ve been coming here for about three weeks,” said Jeremy St. John, who lives at the buzzards’ chosen hangout. “Every afternoon at about 3:30, they come in and start circling, and they’re down to roost by about 4:30. We’ve never had them here before – this is the first year.”
The birds attracting attention on Ozark Street have also been reported in other areas within Houston city limits, including Hamrick Street and Hawthorne Street (with huge numbers being witnessed by many people circling in the area of First Baptist Church). They’re specifically turkey vultures – a raptor common in most areas of North America and South America – and are sometimes called “turkey buzzards” in North America and “John crows” or “carrion crows” in the Caribbean region.
Turkey vultures circle below a thin layer of overcast before landing in a couple of trees last Thursday evening in the backyard of an Ozark Street residence in Houston.
Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Texas County resource forester Travis Mills said vultures’ appearance in this region is certainly more common in rural areas rather than in-town backyards.
“They usually congregate around places like river bottoms or bluffs – like Dogs Bluff,” Mills said. “But it must be a handy place for them.”
Vultures have been known for several years to annually return in huge numbers to Table Rock Dam (near Branson) and become a significant nuisance. St. John said the buzzards at his place haven’t caused any problems – so far.
“I haven’t noticed anything yet,” he said, “but from what I’ve read and heard they can start covering an area with feces and you don’t know what might happen then. But there are a lot of dogs and stray cats around here, and I’m still seeing all the cats.
“They don’t bother me, but I don’t know what the long range effects might be. It’s like with other animals, you get overpopulation and you end up with major issues.”
MDC Texas County agent Chris Ely said people who don’t want buzzards around should act fast if they begin to repeatedly appear.
“If you start having a couple of them showing up, you want to get them out of there,” Ely said. “You don’t want to end up with a roost site because then it’s very hard to get them to go back to the wild.”
“But it can sometimes be one of those nuisances you just put up with until they move on,” Mills said.
Turkey vultures (and black vultures, which are also common in Missouri) are protected in the U.S. under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
“They’re actually considered a bird of prey,” Mills said.
Anyone with a buzzard problem on their property (or who perceives a problem is about to begin) can call Ely at 417-260-2865 or agent Jeff Crites at 417-260-2855. Ely said after a given situation is evaluated, it’s possible that MDC regional wildlife damage biologist Scott McWilliams, of West Plains, could be called in to take action.
“Usually buzzards don’t come into populated areas and stay on the outskirts around old barns and bluffs and places like that,” St. John said. “It’s just odd they’re in a residential area.”
“It’s hard to understand why they would want to roost near a residence or anywhere there are people around, when they could be a half-mile away and be in a secluded area,” Ely said. “I don’t get why.”
Dozens of turkey vultures roost last Thursday evening in a walnut tree and a pine tree on an Ozark Street property in Houston.
“It’s hard to understand why they would want to roost near a residence or anywhere there are people around, when they could be a half-mile away and be in a secluded area. I don’t get why.”
– MDC TEXAS COUNTY AGENT CHRIS ELY