The Turkey Vulture breeds in southern Canada's farmland and open forest habitats. Breeding Bird Survey results reflect a dramatic increase of its population in Canada since 1970. Turkey Vultures, tolerant of human activity and flexible in their diet, appear to be adapting well to the changing North American landscape.
Although Turkey Vultures have been trapped, shot, and heavily persecuted as a pest in the past, the species is now recognised as a beneficial scavenger (Kirk and Mossman 1998). Reasons for the recent dramatic population increase and northward range expansion are not well known, but are likely varied and related to a combination of increased phenotypic plasticity, the evolution of hyper-efficient flight, reduction of organochlorine and lead contamination from the environment, climate warming trends, increased deer populations, and increase in carrion as a results of expanding road networks and increased traffic volume (Peck 2007, Dodge et al. 2014).
Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.