Darwin
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Darwin arrived at a wildlife rehab center in Illinois as an imprinted, hatch year bird. He had no fear of humans and showed extreme comfort in being with his caretakers. He became a part of their ambassador program until they wanted to find a new home for him. Darwin moved into our program in November 2024.
Hatch Year: 2023
Average Weight: ~4 pounds | Darwin: 4 pounds
Wingspan: 67-70 inches
Lifespan in the Wild: 15 years
Lifespan in Captivity: 30 years
Fun Fact: Darwin is a curious bird and enjoys exploring his environment and interacting with enrichment. His most important tool is his nose, which can smell food from over a mile away!
About my Species: Turkey Vultures are nature’s recyclers. They migrate to Wisconsin every March and begin to clean up the carrion alongside roadways and other areas. They have one of the best noses in the animal kingdom and have been known to smell their food from up to a mile away.
