09/03/2026
It’s late summer, meaning Minnesota’s turkey vultures will begin migrating south in a couple of weeks as the autumnal equinox approaches. In the meantime, we celebrate them and all the world vulture species by spreading the word about International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD), observed each year on the first Saturday of September. Last year, 144 events were held in 41 countries. This year, again, countries around the globe are planning events to observe .
Why the hoopla? It’s to raise awareness of the vulture, an often misunderstood bird that is vital to the health of the planet. They dispose of creatures that have died, efficiently and cleanly, neutralizing the bacteria of the most rotten carcasses with their battery-acid-level digestive juices. That bacteria, if left to fester in the environment, spreads disease, which in fact has happened, reaching crisis proportions in India and Africa as vulture populations plummeted in recent decades.
Vultures face habitat loss, poisoning, electrocution on power lines, flying into wind turbines, and hunting. Efforts to revive their populations have gained traction. Still, many are critically endangered. A day of observance like IVAD is one way of giving vultures a PR boost.
Beyond their indispensable role in protecting ecosystem health, vultures possess amazing qualities that are just cool! Some species are among the largest flying birds on Earth, like the Andean condor, with a wingspan of 10.5 feet. The Ruppell’s vulture, native to Africa, set high-altitude records when one individual was documented reaching an altitude of 37,000 feet, matching the height of many commercial passenger jets. Imagine seeing that out your airplane window!
These photos show three special TUVUs closer to home: 1) current TRC ambassador Aura, 2) beloved long-time TRC ambassador Nero, who taught us so much in his 47 years of life, and 3) TUVU patient 25-755, rehabilitated last year at TRC’s raptor hospital after being rescued as a young brancher from a tree downed in a thunderstorm. In this photo, taken upon 25-755’s release last September, in typical vulture fashion, she sunned her wings before climbing into the sky!
