WhenToBird

2 vulture species in Mississippi

When Do Vultures Arrive in Mississippi?

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 Mississippi. The Turkey Vulture is in Mississippi all year. It turns up on about 22% of checklists at its peak (late March) and on 11% in its quietest week (mid July).

When to look

PresentAll year
Peak weekMar 22-31late March
Quietest weekJul 15-21mid July

Best: late March. Here all year. Peak: on about 22% of Mississippi 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 Mississippi, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Turkey Vultureall year–Mar 22-31–22%
Black Vultureall year–Apr 15-21–12%
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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi

Best counties for Turkey Vulture

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Yazoo CountyBest late September · 13 checklists that week, 440 in all74%
  2. Itawamba CountyBest mid March · 11 checklists that week, 648 in all72%
  3. Marion CountyBest early June · 11 checklists that week, 380 in all69%
  4. Adams CountyBest the second week of November · 33 checklists that week, 1,749 in all69%
  5. Winston CountyBest mid November · 10 checklists that week, 382 in all67%
  6. George CountyBest early March · 15 checklists that week, 490 in all65%

Common questions

When do vultures arrive in Mississippi?
The Turkey Vulture is in Mississippi all year. It turns up on about 22% of checklists at its peak (late March) and on 11% in its quietest week (mid July).
When do vultures leave Mississippi?
The Turkey Vulture does not leave Mississippi: it is reported all year, from 11% of checklists in mid July to 22% in late March.
When is the best time to see vultures in Mississippi?
The Turkey Vulture is reported most often in late March, on about 22% of Mississippi checklists.
Which vultures are in Mississippi?
Turkey Vulture and Black Vulture are reported regularly; the Turkey Vulture is the most common.