What Are All Those Giant Birds On That South Dakota TV Tower?

If you've been downtown Sioux Falls, South Dakota lately you've probably seen a bunch of giant birds flocking all around this TV tower. What are they?

All those big black ugly ugly-looking birds flying in downtown Sioux Falls are Turkey Vultures.

Vultures are known to fly in circles over a dead or dying animal or human.

Dozens of Turkey Vultures have taken up residency on the TV tower at 13th Street and Philips Ave. in downtown Sioux Falls. 

Vultures are scavengers and have an uncanny ability to detect death so they can find and pick over a dead carcass to feed on the remains.

Turkey Vultures average a 6-foot wingspan and stand about 2 1/2 feet tall.

But in spite of their large size Turkey Vultures tend to only weigh about 3 pounds.

Turkey Vultures thrive in communal settings and favor large congregations for their roosting activities.

Turkey Vultures like to gather in large numbers in everything from dead tall trees to modern-day cell, radio, and TV towers.

Turkey Vultures have a red bald head so that when they are eating dead things bits of dead meat don't get stuck in any head feathers.

Turkey Vultures are federally protected. This means that their eradication is only legal if nonlethal methods have been attempted, and they have been identified as a true nuisance to the community such as causing property damage, health risks, etc.