More Information

In addition to identifying, developing, and testing 

new methods for dispersing problem vultures, NWRC 

scientists are also determining the age structure of 

black vulture populations and documenting habitat 

use and movements of vultures. For more information 

regarding NWRC’s vulture research, please visit our 

Web site at <http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/nwrc>.

WS Office Phone Numbers

For assistance on wildlife damage issues in your 

State, please call the WS program’s toll-free number 

at 1–866–4USDAWS (1–866–487–3297) or one of the 

numbers listed below.

At headquarters (Riverdale, MD):

Operational Support Staff 

(301) 734–7921

In the field:

NWRC headquarters (Fort Collins, CO) 

(970) 266–6000

NWRC Gainesville, FL, Field Station 

(352) 375–2229

Eastern Regional Office (Raleigh, NC) 

(919) 855–7200

Western Regional Office (Fort Collins, CO) 

(970) 494–7443

United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Program Aid No. 1860

Solutions Through Science

About Wildlife Services’ National Wildlife 

Research Center

As part of the WS program of the U.S. Department 

of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service, NWRC is a leader in providing sciencebased solutions to the complex issues of wildlife 

damage management as related to agriculture, 

property, human health and safety, invasive species, 

and threatened and endangered species. NWRC 

scientists strive to find solutions that are biologically 

sound, environmentally safe, and socially acceptable 

for use in resolving wildlife damage-management 

problems throughout the United States and abroad. 

Often, the WS program’s operational personnel assist 

NWRC scientists in developing and evaluating new 

management tools and methods.

NWRC employs more than 160 scientists and 

support staff at its headquarters in Fort Collins, 

CO, and at field stations throughout the United 

States. NWRC’s scientists have expertise in a wide 

range of disciplines, including animal behavior, 

wildlife biology, wildlife sensory biology, chemistry, 

immunology, epidemiology, statistics, population 

modeling, genetics, toxicology, and veterinary 

medicine. 

Reducing Damage Caused by Vultures

Photo credits: The images in this leaflet were taken by USDA 

employees or are part of the APHIS image collection.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimina-

tion in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, 

national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital 

status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, 

genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part 

of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance 

program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons 

with disabilities who require alternative means for communication 

of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should 

contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD). 

To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office 

of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 

20250–9410, or call (800) 795–3272 (voice) or (202) 720–6382 

(TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Issued March 2006

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/nwrc

NWRC headquarters in Fort Collins, CO.

“Solutions to problems depend upon 

knowledge which only research can provide.” 

Edwin R. Kalmbach, first Director for the 

predecessor of the NWRC (1940–54)
Understanding Impacts to Livestock 

Because of increasing reports of vulture predation 

on newborn livestock, NWRC scientists are 

working to identify the factors associated with 

vulture predation on livestock. In a survey of 

Florida livestock producers, larger farms reported 

more vulture depredation problems than smaller 

operations. Constant vigilance, sound husbandry 

practices, and persistent harassment are the most 

effective means to protect livestock from black 

vultures. However, such a regimen is usually more 

difficult to maintain on larger livestock operations.

To gain a better understanding of vulture impacts on 

livestock, NWRC scientists are conducting research 

to (1) develop a population model for black vultures 

that can be used to evaluate potential management 

options, and (2) analyze vulture movement patterns 

and roosting activity using geographic information 

system (GIS) techniques.

Taxidermic (left) and artificial vulture effigies are used 

to disperse vultures from their roosts.

Problem

Vultures play an important role in ecosystems by 

cleaning up animal carcasses, but vultures also 

cause problems in both rural and urban settings. In 

recent years, vulture populations have increased as 

these adaptable birds have adjusted to higher levels 

of human activity. As a result, the birds are coming 

into ever more conflict with people. 

Vultures often damage residential and business 

property. Their droppings can kill trees and create 

unsanitary and unsafe working conditions at power 

plants, refineries, and communication towers. 

Their aggressiveness unsettles park users and 

homeowners. Vultures harass and kill livestock. In 

flight, they can be a danger to aircraft. 

As complaints multiply, pressure grows on wildlife 

biologists to develop safe, effective ways to manage 

vulture populations that will both maintain healthy 

numbers of birds and reduce conflicts and damage. 

The National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC)—

the research arm of the Federal Government’s 

Wildlife Services (WS) program—is hard at work on 

America’s “vulture problem.” This leaflet describes 

how NWRC researchers are using science-based 

approaches to address human–vulture conflicts.

Identifying Vultures

Two species of vultures live in the United States. 

Turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) are found almost 

nationwide. Black vultures (Coragyps atratus) 

are found primarily in Texas and the southeastern 

United States, although their range is expanding 

northward. 

Turkey vultures are almost exclusively scavengers, 

relying upon their very sensitive sense of smell and 

good eyesight to locate food. Black vultures, on the 

other hand, rely solely on visual cues to find food 

and also attack and kill live animals. 

Adult turkey vultures have blackish-brown feathers 

and red heads. Black vultures have black feathers 

and gray heads and have a distinctive white patch 

near the ends of their outstretched wings.

Science-Based Solutions

To help resolve vulture-related problems, scientists 

at the NWRC Gainesville, FL, field station are 

conducting research with both captive and freeranging vultures to better understand the ecology, 

behavior, and impact of these birds and their 

responses to management practices. In particular, 

scientists are investigating methods for dispersing 

vultures from problem roosts and preventing 

property damage. Scientists are also learning more 

about the impact the birds have on livestock.

Dispersing Roosts

Vultures roost in trees and on manmade structures 

such as buildings and towers. Many problems 

associated with vultures can be successfully 

resolved by dispersing the birds from their roosts.

Research conducted by NWRC scientists has 

demonstrated that proper installation of a vulture 

effigy almost always causes abandonment of the 

roost within 3 to 5 days. The effigy is either a 

taxidermic mount of a vulture or a commercially 

available artificial likeness. 

To further convince vultures to leave, it is sometimes 

necessary to use pyrotechnics or handheld lasers in 

addition to the effigy. The bright beams of the lasers 

do not cause physical harm but irritate the birds and 

cause them to move to other locations. Research 

has shown that application of lasers can cause 

vultures to leave a roost for a night, but lasers’ use 

alone will not result in permanent abandonment of 

the roost.

Preventing Property Damage

When vultures loaf on houses and other structures, 

they damage property by pecking, tearing, and 

defecating. To help prevent damage, NWRC 

scientists tested the effectiveness of several 

commercially available perching deterrents. Four 

of these—an electrified track; sharp, dense metal 

spikes; a cylindrical rolling perch; and a motionactivated sprinkler—proved very effective in 

preventing vultures from perching on roofs in test 

pens. Installation of any one of these devices, 

particularly on the ridgeline of a roof, should alleviate 

most problems homeowners experience with 

nuisance vultures. Black vulture (left) 

and turkey vulture.

NWRC scientists are investigating nonlethal methods 

for preventing vulture damage to houses and other 

structures.

NWRC scientists 

continue to investigate 

vulture impacts to 

livestock.