Raised in a Haunted Attraction: Fred the Vulture

Over the Summer we received a call from Kim from Kim's Krypt about a baby Turkey Vulture who was found in one of their buildings. Fred--as Kim and her team had named him--was a fledgling Turkey Vulture, and was attempting to frighten away the big scary humans by stretching his wings and hissing.

Fledglings

Birds of most species spend several days to weeks on the ground and low branches learning to fly--during this time they are called fledglings. The parents are still around, keeping their distance so they don’t attract predators, and will continue to care for the bird even after it begins flying. This is a critical part of their development and even with the dangers of the wild, being left with their parents gives them the best chance of survival.

Fred’s Happy Ending

Young Fred was likely left alone while his parents went out to find food. Kim was very understanding, and agreed to let Fred come and go from the building as he grew. Turkey Vultures are the most widely distributed vulture in North and South America, but witnessing this up-close part of their development is a rarity!

After several weeks, Fred had grown enough to take flight himself. Although he left his home inside the attraction, he reportedly still circles above!

We want to extend a huge THANK YOU to Kim and her team for keeping this vulture family together. Stories where our community learns to coexist with wildlife are just as special to us as those of patients we admit.