Turkey Vulture vs Phone Book

This is Nero, an education bird at the University of Minnesota's Raptor Center. He is an adult turkey vulture and imprinted on humans.

He is normally housed outside, but the crew was making some adjustments to his housing and he was tethered indoors.

Turkey vultures have a natural impulse to rip open objects (just like they would on an animal carcass in the wild). When he is tethered, he is given objects to rip up to keep him from picking and ripping at his leash and jesses.

Nero is an old bird, he was hatched in 1974.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• birds
• turkey
• vulture
• raptor
• center
• phone
• book

[brentsapp25]

in a funny way they are kinda cute

[robocon2]

I love raptor, this guy has ripped well into my heart.

[thegrimellie]

Beef galore, no... fresh meat, no... shrimp deliveries, no... To your doorstep carcass, there it is! Bobby, pass the phone, please!

[oceandolphin24]

i never really thought this before about turkey vultures but he's really cute!

[Markis2bi4]

I know that nobody uses a pay-phone anymore, but you don't have to take your frustration on the yellow pages, Nero!

[91969126]

Wow, 37 yrs. old. That's the oldest one I've heard of.......Thanks!

[whocanihire]

Love the symbolism as technology and social media has killed the yellow pages

[DjScudMissile]

he wanted to save that pizza ad

[FirstLTRipvanWinkle]

Vultures aren't so bad like many people think they help clean up road kill and stuff. I kinda like them especcially baby vultures.

[ZO6]

does he puke or does he not know as he has no one threatening him in captivity?

[Myownpickle]

Thats the cutest thing ive seen all day <3

[vdw1958]

I can imagine what he got for his 25th birthday.