GOLDEN EAGLES????
Posted by paul pennington on April 1, 2006
Q: On April 1, 2006 we were driving by a timberline that bordered the Missouri River in Eastern Kansas. We saw a large flock(40-50) huge birds soaring overhead. They were huge, 6-7 foot wingspan, soaring, not flying. They were dark brown, and looked like bald eagles, but none had a white tail or head. Are they possibly Golden Eagles??
State: Kansas
A: From your description and number of birds in the flock, I'm almost certain they were Turkey Vultures that you saw. These birds often travel in large groups and their impressive size does make one think of eagles. Turkey Vultures soar with their wings held a bit upward so form a shallow "V" as they travel. They also tend to tip to one side and then the other as they "float" in the sky with incredible beauty. It's interesting that such an ungainly-looking bird up close can be so beautiful at a distance. You do have an occasional Golden Eagle winter in eastern Kansas but you won't be seeing large flocks of them in migration. Hope this helps. Thanks for your question.
John Wiessinger ( April 2, 2006)