Caldwell County Ag Agent Shane Bogle recently addressed the issue of black vultures and the significant problems they pose for farmers in western Kentucky.
Bogle explained that there is a distinction between redheaded buzzards and black-headed turkey vultures.
click to download audioHe further mentioned that black vultures, which migrate from Canada to South America, have experienced a population surge in our region.
click to download audioBogle explained that black vultures pose a problem in western Kentucky as they tend to attack small animals, including farm animals.
click to download audioOnce again, he emphasized that a group of black vultures can form a roost consisting of as many as a hundred of the predators. In Caldwell County, he said they see the vultures around the rock quarries in Fredonia and Princeton, as well as rock bluffs.
Furthermore, Bogle highlighted that the roosting behavior of black vultures can also lead to structural damage.
click to download audioBogle stressed that due to their migratory nature, black vultures are protected under the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act. He emphasized that it’s illegal to kill them, destroy their nests, or disturb their eggs without obtaining a federal permit.
click to download audioBogle expressed that black vultures can be more challenging to deal with compared to other predators due to their high mobility. However, he mentioned that there are programs available to assist farmers in controlling the birds.
click to download audioFor more information, or any inquiries about black vultures, contact Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent Shane Bogle at the Caldwell County Cooperative Extension Office in Princeton.
