The Great Buzzard Bailout

The Florida Keys is the winter home for a large population of Turkey Vultures affectionately known to many as buzzards. On occasion their migration is interrupted by poor buzzard flying conditions. Yesterday was one of the worse in years for the snowbird buzzards.

The following was reported to me by Captain Bobby Manske at 8:00 Am this morning.

At approximately 11:30 AM yesterday a vessel on the Bayside was heard frantically hailing Sea Tow for assistance. The captain reported that his vessel was being overtaken by buzzards. "There are buzzards all over my boat. They are tearing my boat apart", the harried captain says. Sea Tow, "I don't think that buzzard removal is a part of your Sea Tow contract. Maybe you should call the FWC?" "But they are tearing my boat apart! I paid for emergency assistance! I need help now!" There was a touch of panic in the captain's reply. This radio exchange was related to me by Bobby Manske of Captain Pip's Marina and Hideaway.

Around 1:00 PM the Marathon Wild Bird Center (WBC) arranged for a buzzard rescue flotilla. One of the volunteering Captains was Bobby Manske. In 23 foot Captain Pips center console, Captain Bobby and WBC volunteers cruised 10 mile out into the Florida Bay to find dozens of buzzard floating the bay waters.

"The WBC volunteers brought gardening gloves, dip nets, towels and a few carrying cages for the mission. We ran out to the Auger Pile and started our search and rescue pattern. We found and rescued about thirty buzzards and three hawks. There were not enough carrying cages, so we had buzzards on the bow of the boat with their wings spread to dry out. We couldn't run back in because the buzzards would take off and drop right back in the water again. That slowed the operation down. From what I heard, between my boat, a couple other rescue boats and the FWC, over 100 buzzards and four hawks were plucked from the bay. One of the hawks didn't make it." Captain Bobby stated this morning over coffee.

From personal experience buzzard bailouts are somewhat rare, but not unexpected when early season cold fronts approach the Keys. Buzzards rely on thermal updrafts to soar and are poorly designed for flying. When the thermals are lost the buzzards have to land (Bailout). Then a scene similar to something out of the Hitchcock movie, "The Birds" or WKRP Cincinnati's "Turkey Drop" is likely for Florida Keys home owners and boaters. Buzzards are still grounded this morning due to poor thermals. Several Keys residents have reported grounded buzzards in their yards, porches and on roofs. This is not a condition that the Tourist Development Council (TDC) wants to last long. While Turkey Vultures are one of North America's largest raptors, their image is somewhat tarnished in the tourist development comunity.

The truly unusual part of this story is that other raptors, Broad Wing Hawks , a Coopers Hawk and a very rare for the Florida Keys Ruffed Leg Hawk were also found in the water. This is an indication that low altitude clear air wind shear may have neutralized or reversed a tight thermal updraft called a "kettle" by Karyn Buckley of the Marathon Wild Bird Center. In a Kettle, various soaring birds and Hawks will soar together to gain altitude and relax in effortless flight. When the thermal lift is lost, the kettle disappears and the birds have to fly or glide until they find another thermal up draft. In this case, the kettle must have quickly disappeared a few hours before the approaching cold front trapping the birds in a down draft forcing the bailout.

Speaking with Karyn this morning, the WBC reports that 89 Turkey Vultures and 5 Hawks were brought to the center. Of that number 62 Turkeys Vultures and one Coppers Hawk perished. Seven Vultures are still under heat lamps, but appear to be recovering nicely. Per Bobby Manske, an estimated 100 more vultures were released in good condition on various parts of the Islands. If you have any more information please feel free to comment below.

We are digging more deeply into the story and should have more in the near future. If you would like to help save the birds please contact the Marathon Wild Bird Center.