BISBEE — Many, many folks turned out for the fifth annual Return of the Turkey Vultures, one of the city’s most fun events for all those young and young at heart in Vista Park Saturday morning.
Liberty Wildlife’s Anne Peyton and Craig Fischer brought two of their rehabilitated turkey vultures for an up-close view of a 15-year-old black turkey vulture and a 6-year-old brown turkey vulture which they have rescued and now care for at their shelter.
Vultures have a very specialized diet of carrion they find on roadways and out in the desert. And, yes, Peyton said people actually bring roadkill to them on occasion to help maintain their diets.
They talked with dozens who gathered around them wanting to know more about the high flying birds known for their V–shaped, wide-spread wings and their great circles in the sky as they play on the thermal updrafts and keep a nose out for any delectable fragrances that might mean something to eat is nearby.
The red heads of the brown vultures are featherless, which is understandable as their heads can disappear into carcasses to get every bite. They are uniquely designed to eliminate dead animals through a strong stomach acid that neutralizes seriously dangerous bacteria and viruses, Peyton said. They are a big benefit to the environment as they clean up roadkill, which also prevents other animals from feeding on carcasses that could be harmful to them. In the summer, they poop on their feet to help control body temperature.
Years ago, some Bisbeeites got together to think about an event that could be held in March, a normally quiet time in the mile-high town, and those soaring red heads were a perfect match for Bisbee, already known as an eclectic destination for the unusual.
This year, the group took up the challenge made last year by this reporter to come up with their own Return of the Turkey Vulture theme song. Hinckey, Ohio, where the annual “When the Buzzards Return” event has gone on since 1957, has one.
Luna Tunes, made up of Cado Daily, Raghida Khouri and Tara Kohanek, and hip hop artist Gideon Vickers, aka Giozillah, did not disappoint the gathered crowd. There were seven groups in all that performed.
Though local singer and song writer Michael Montoya wanted to participate, he was busy getting his photographs of vultures together and working on unique silk screens of them on top of discarded Thrift Store Art to sell.
Out by the flagpole, youngsters of all ages began putting on their vulture costumes while little ones grabbed up butterfly wings, bees on poles and musical instruments for the big parade.
The highlight was the kids dressed up in carrion-covered costumes. They played dead and let the vultures pick squishy innards from their bodies. And, yes, there was even some real, though sanitized, pelts attached to bloody T–shirts. Everybody loved it.
Xavier Witt, 9, who goes to Greenway Elementary School, played the part of a dead critter for the first time and had a great time.
First timer Allie Johnson and her 4-year-old daughter Rowan, from Sierra Vista, were thrilled to be in the parade. Rowan, too, was roadkill and looked delicious in her rodent head cap and bloody shirt.
Johnson said, “I think we’ll make this an annual thing. It’s just good fun.”
Carmen Faucon was covered head to toe in her turkey vulture costume with a unique long billed mask that resembled ones from the 17th century worn by plague doctors and even carried a “baby” vulture in her arms.
In from Silver City, New Mexico, Ian Bailey was delighted to partake in the festivities with a steampunk vulture mask, long black cape and skeletal hands. He was on a visit to friends in Bisbee.
“This fits Bisbee perfectly,” Bailey said.
An interesting bird not normally seen in Bisbee also made an appearance. Boo the cockatiel offered his very loud and enthusiastic opinion of the parade as he watched from his mom’s arm, boogying along with the beat of drums and kazoos. He said it was a fun parade and he liked the vultures.
His mom, Cindy Grace, said the 21-year-old Boo watches the turkey vultures from the window of their home and he has gotten used to them perching around.
“But, he gets nervous when they fly,” Grace said with a smile.
It was a fun event with laughs and smiles and each year it continues to build as more people dress up in marvelous, feathered costumes and masks for this Bisbee–esque celebration.