This black vulture research and educational project is sponsored by Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research, Inc. of Newark DE. More information, history and nest cam pictures are available at http://chimneyswifts.net/tristate/ and at http://www.tristatebird.org/.
Black vultures are commonly seen in the skies over America’s southern and eastern states. They are gregarious, often seen in communal roosts or feeding on carrion, helping keep the environment clean. Adults form long-term monogamous relationships and typically have two fluffy, yellow-beige colored chicks each year. Adults share incubation and feeding responsibilities, and continue to feed their young for as long as eight months after fledging, helping to establish bonds among kin that last a lifetime.
2011 Nesting Season:
3/7/11 First egg 4/15/11 First hatch 6/30/11 Fledged
2012 Nesting Season: 2/20/12 First egg laid 2/23/12 Second egg laid 3/31/12 Initial hole appeared in first egg to hatch. (39 days) 4/1/12 One chick out of eggshell (32 hours after initial hole) 4/2/12 Second chick out of eggshell (about 11 hours after the first) 6/14/12 First flight observed (25') by chick
2013 Nesting Season:
2/11/13 Courting and copulation
3/2/13 Copulation in nest area
3/3/12 First egg laid
3/6/13 Second egg laid
4/11 - 4/13/13 Hatching (Only one chick survived strenuous 30+ hour process.)
5/6/13 Tagged adult male (#17)
5/12/13 Two orphan chicks added to nest
6/13/13 All three chicks tagged (#26, #30, #267)
6/20/13 First flight
2014 & 2015 Nesting Seasons:
No vultures nested in the shed.
2016 Nesting Season:
2/25/16 to 3/2/16 Two untagged adults making nest and mating in shed
3/2/16 10:13 PM First egg laid
3/5/16 9:45 AM Second egg laid (2 1/2 days after the first)
4/10/16 7:15 PM First egg begins to hatch (after 39 days)
4/11/16 9:15 PM First chick totally out of egg (after 26 hours hatching)
4/12/16 4:00 AM Second egg begins to hatch.
4/12/16 11:30 PM Second chick out of shell (after 19 1/2 hours hatching)
6/20/16 Tagged both chicks (#56, #247)
6/30/16 Chicks fledged