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How does urbanization impact black vulture nesting success?
We began monitoring black vulture nests using trail cameras to investigate this question. Black vultures often use built structures for their nesting activities, including old homes, barns, and outbuildings. These buildings can provide shelter and protection but may also be associated with more human presence and domestic predators. We studied the nesting success of eight black vulture nests, analyzing the impact of landcover features and human presence in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area.
Throughout this project:
We monitored eight different black vulture nests.
We captured nearly 15,000 photos and 83.6 hours of video of black vulture nests.
We found:
Nesting success was found to be higher in our study area than previous literature has found - but also higher rates of nest abandonment than previously reported!
Have you ever wondered about the private nesting behavior of vultures?
This is some of our footage of one black vulture nest in 2020. This nest was in an abandoned barn in a forested area. There is clear evidence that the vultures nest at this location each year!
This is some of our footage from a black vulture nest in 2022. This nest was actually found when a home was to be listed for sale. The sellers, real estate teams, and buyers all did a great job of providing privacy to the nesting birds and letting them finish their nesting season.
What's coming up?
We are currently preparing a manuscript on this research, check back soon for updates!
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