Jan 7, 2009 8:01 pm US/Pacific
Vultures Swarm Turlock Neighborhood
SANTA ANA, Calif. (CBS13) ―
Turkey vultures are leaving a big mess in one Turlock neighborhood, and now residents are hoping the birds will just buzz off.
"I wish they would go away," said Turlock resident Megan Boyle. "They're not pleasant to have around."
The scavenger birds are soaring above the neighborhood, using their sense of smell to detect the gasses of dead animals. In their wake, unpleasant droppings dot the streets.
"Sometimes if they've eaten a skunk, the bird droppings will smell like a skunk," said another resident.
Dennis Cornwall is forced to spray down his driveway about twice a month wash away the pellets that gather and decay. He says the birds have multiplied since coming here five years ago.
"I'm surprised they stay as long as they do," he said. "They're migratory. Usually they move on but they must like these big long trees."
Some experts say the reason they're in this neighborhood is because they're waiting for the fog and moisture in the air to clear.
"There's no dead animals on our street so they're not staying here because of the food," Cornwall said.
The California Department of Fish and Game says the turkey vulture is common to the Central Valley but rare in urban environments.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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