Hi Tweeters,

The Turkey Vultures are expanding their range northward in British Columbia
partly because of an extensive paving program for secondary and tertiary
roads in the province. More paved roads seem to equal more roadkills,
something the vultures heartily approve.

My query would be, where vultures and ravens coincide, do they compete? Is
the expansion of the vulture population at the expense of the raven's? Of
the two, who would be the aggressor? Of course, this would be just during
the summer.

Peripherally, are any Tweeters familiar with the affectionate treatment of
vultures in Walter M. Miller's 'Canticle For Leibowitz', a post nuclear
apocalypse novel? A short excerpt:

" As always the wild black scavengers of the skies laid their eggs in
season and lovingly fed their young. They soared high over prairies and
mountains and plains, searching for the fulfillment of that share of life's
destiny which was theirs according to the plan of Nature. Their
philosophers demonstrated by unaided reason alone that the Supreme
Cathartes aura regnans had created the world especially for buzzards. They
worshipped him with hearty appetites for many centuries."

Not necessarily connected to the above, Happy New Year to all!

Michael Price
Vancouver BC Canada
michael_price at mindlink.bc.ca