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Physical Sciences and Mathematics

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University of Nebraska - Lincoln

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

2006

Cathartes aura

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Collisions Of Red-Tailed Hawks (Buteo Jamaicensis), Turkey Vultures (Cathartes Aura), And Black Vultures (Coragyps Atratus) With Aircraft: Implications For Bird Strike Reduction, Bradley F. Blackwell, Sandra E. Wright Dec 2006

Collisions Of Red-Tailed Hawks (Buteo Jamaicensis), Turkey Vultures (Cathartes Aura), And Black Vultures (Coragyps Atratus) With Aircraft: Implications For Bird Strike Reduction, Bradley F. Blackwell, Sandra E. Wright

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

From 1990 through 2003, 52,493 wildlife collisions with aircraft were reported to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); 97% of these incidents involved birds. The approximate cost to the civil aviation industry in the U.S.A. due to collisions of birds with aircraft (hereafter referred to as bird strikes) was $163.51 million in direct monetary losses and associated costs for the 14 year period (Cleary et al. 2004). Strikes with raptors (Falconidae and Accipitridae; including vultures, Cathartidae)accounted for approximately 28% of reported aircraft down time resulting from known-species bird strikes (known species =182942 hr; total for all birds = 244510 hr) …


Are Vultures Birds, And Do Snakes Have Venom, Because Of Macro- And Microscavenger Conflict?, John A. Shivik Oct 2006

Are Vultures Birds, And Do Snakes Have Venom, Because Of Macro- And Microscavenger Conflict?, John A. Shivik

USDA Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

I outline models that describe vertebrate and microbial competition for carrion resources and help explain the resultant morphologies observed in extant vertebrate scavengers. Odors from microbial decomposition signal the presence of a carcass to vertebrate scavengers. Therefore, microbes must consume carcasses rapidly or evolve toxic defenses to protect themselves and their resource from their vertebrate competitors. Similarly, macroscavengers must evolve traits that allow rapid detection of carcasses or develop chemical defenses against microbial toxins. My modeling suggests that the most efficient macroscavenger adaptations increase the probability of carcass detection, which explains why highly vagile species, such as vultures, are the …