Turkey Vultures 'Truly Scary' in Bloomingdale

Don't be surprised to see turkey vultures lurking in Bloomingdale — and if they bother you, don't worry. They won't be around long, according to Bloomingdale Animal Control Supervisor Lisa Perry.

But they are here. Residents have contacted Patch saying they had seen the scavengers. Cheryl Bavaro shared photos of what she saw and added that at one point, she counted 23 of the birds in her back yard.

"There was one day when they were around when I had my baby in my arms," she recalled. "It was truly scary."

Bavaro said she tried to call the borough for help but had not yet received a response.

Borough Mayor Jonathan Dunleavy said that animal control was on the case, but was still baffled by the question.

"I am not sure what an animal control officer can do about flying turkey vultures," he told Patch. "That's what they do."

In large part, that's true, said Perry, noting that she had not received any messages regarding vultures and prided herself on providing full service to residents.

Perry said that the birds are protected by law.

"We operate under rules and laws that protect certain animals," she said. "There isn't a whole lot we can really do. These are migratory birds, federally protected, and bothersome, but usually only for a season during certain times of year."

That season is winter, and given that spring is now here, Perry said that the birds will be leaving soon.

"They're more of a nuisance in the winter, sitting on roofs, sunning themselves to get warm, some areas have more of a problem than others," said the animal control officer, offering a reminder that the birds do serve a purpose—eradicating road kill animals.

Perry noted that there are some deterrents available to homeowners who wish to discourage turkey vultures from roosting on their roofs.

"Hang wires or moving wind socks where they perch," she suggested. "And some hang a turkey vulture carcass in effigy in the place where they are perching if there are an accumulation. There is a cost associated for [the New Jersey office of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service] to come out and do that."

Located in Robbinsville, APHIS, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, can be reached at 609-259-5260 or VSNJ@aphis.usda.gov.

Perry said most of the problem some residents have with the birds is that they aren't particularly attractive.

"They think [the birds] look evil and scary, but they're not aggressive," she said. "Their droppings are an inconvenience to people and occasionally the sight of them puts people off. But they're intelligent birds, the red headed and black headed ones.

"They are among the animals we share the environment with. If we don't put things too much out of balance, they won't be so annoying."