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Vultures and Livestock

Vultures that kill livestock become an instant concern to farmers and ranchers. Martin S. Lowney, a biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services Program in Virginia, responds to numerous complaints each year concerning black vulture attacks on cattle. From 1994-1996, in fact, more than 115 complaints were made. Lowney quickly points out that predation on livestock is almost exclusively caused by black vultures. Turkey vultures are often guilty only by association. They mix with groups of black vultures, scavenging what the black vultures leave behind.

"When we get someone complaining about vultures killing their livestock," Lowney said, "we start quizzing them to get them to describe the vultures, so we can make sure they understand that there's 2 different species of birds. Their replies are pretty consistent. They describe: the little black one, the one that's aggressive, the one that's in gangs, the one that lets you walk up to within 20 to 30 feet of it."

Black vultures mostly kill cattle, though attacks on deer and other wildlife have been recorded. They will occasionally attack adult cows giving birth, but primarily pounce upon new-born calves. Virginia has large commercial cattle operations and many calves are born on the open range or in pastureland. In the early weeks of life, a calf will let vultures approach it. The vultures, when close enough, then attack by grabbing a calf's eyeballs and pulling them out, blinding the animal. Alternatively, they may grab calves by the nose or the tongue. Once attacked, they go into shock and are easy pickings for the vultures.

"I've seen 2 attacks in progress," Lowney said. "It happens so fast. I saw a group of 4 or 5 vultures sitting in a pasture. They walked up to a 1-day-old calf. Then, the mother, the cow, came over and stood over the calf and all of a sudden there were 15 or 20 vultures darting in and trying to poke the calf and grab it. The cow began charging at the vultures, scaring them away. She was stepping on the calf, and it was bawling because it was getting stepped on. That's when I broke it up."

"On the same pasture, and the same day, there was a different calf attacked. This one was about 3or 4 days old. Again, there were about 15 or 20 vultures sitting there. One of them walked up to the calf and grabbed it by the nose, and another one grabbed it by the tail. Then the rest of them just came running over and started grabbing at it. I broke that up and ended up killing 2 of the vultures and harassing the rest of them away."

Lowney acknowledges that there are few options available for him to help farmers and ranchers with vulture problems. Since vultures are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, it is illegal to kill them without a permit. Though he will help farmers get permits, he also urges them to practice good husbandry by burying or burning dead animals and putting cows in close-by, easily watched pastures during the calving season. Alternatively, he can start them on a harassment program with firecrackers and other pyrotechnics. Black vultures, however, are very aggressive and very persistent and quickly become accustomed to scaring devices. Even if biologists can get the birds to leave, they may not go far.

"I know in a few instances all I've done is just push the birds around the neighborhood," Lowney said. "Someone will call me up 2 days after I harass some birds and say that 80 vultures just showed up. I'll ask them where they live and then realize it's only a mile or a half-mile from the first guy. So, I start this next guy on a harassment program, the birds move on and I get a call from another farmer."