WhenToBird

2 vulture species in Alabama

When Do Vultures Arrive in Alabama?

Adult Turkey Vulture
Photo: Andrew Murray, CC BY 4.0 via iNaturalist

Turkey Vultures and Black Vultures are the vultures you are most likely to see in Alabama. The Turkey Vulture is in Alabama all year. It turns up on about 22% of checklists at its peak (early March) and on 14% in its quietest week (mid July).

When to look

PresentAll year
Peak weekMar 1-7early March
Quietest weekJul 15-21mid July

Best: early March. Here all year. Peak: on about 22% of Alabama checklists.

  1. Janpeak season
  2. Febpeak season
  3. Marpeak season
  4. Aprpeak season
  5. Maypeak season
  6. Juncommon
  7. Julcommon
  8. Augcommon
  9. Sepcommon
  10. Octpeak season
  11. Novpeak season
  12. Decpeak season

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Vultures in Alabama, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Turkey Vultureall year–Mar 1-7–22%
Black Vultureall year–May 15-21–7.7%
0%10%20%30%Turkey VultureBlack VultureJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • Turkey Vulture
  • Black Vulture
Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Alabama that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in Alabama

Best counties for Turkey Vulture

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Choctaw CountyBest late November · 13 checklists that week, 554 in all88%
  2. Henry CountyBest early October · 12 checklists that week, 338 in all80%
  3. Pickens CountyBest late January · 11 checklists that week, 434 in all75%
  4. Monroe CountyBest the second week of October · 18 checklists that week, 378 in all70%
  5. Perry CountyBest mid March · 16 checklists that week, 1,066 in all69%
  6. Houston CountyBest mid November · 119 checklists that week, 6,424 in all65%

Common questions

When do vultures arrive in Alabama?
The Turkey Vulture is in Alabama all year. It turns up on about 22% of checklists at its peak (early March) and on 14% in its quietest week (mid July).
When do vultures leave Alabama?
The Turkey Vulture does not leave Alabama: it is reported all year, from 14% of checklists in mid July to 22% in early March.
When is the best time to see vultures in Alabama?
The Turkey Vulture is reported most often in early March, on about 22% of Alabama checklists.
Which vultures are in Alabama?
Turkey Vulture and Black Vulture are reported regularly; the Turkey Vulture is the most common.