When do turkey vultures arrive in Alberta?
The Turkey Vulture is a summer breeder in Alberta — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Turkey Vulture timing in Alberta
- Arrives
- Around March
- Leaves
- By July
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- April–June
- Present roughly
- March–July
In Alberta, turkey vultures are present through the warm months, arriving around March and heading south again by July.
These windows are set by latitude: Alberta sits in the northern part of this species' range, so timing here runs later than the continental average — the season starts later this far north and the birds wait for it. In any given year, weather can move the first arrivals by a week or two either way.
Month by month in this state
Highlighted months are when turkey vultures are expected in Alberta. The edges of the window are the interesting weeks — first arrivals and last departures vary most from year to year.
Getting ready before they arrive
The week before March is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early March — the first turkey vultures into Alberta are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Once nesting begins around April, adults switch to protein-rich food for their young and visits to feeders become quick and purposeful. Expect the busiest activity at dawn.
What turkey vultures eat while they're here
- Carrion of all kinds
Circles low over neighborhoods on rising thermals and roosts communally in tall trees.
Full Turkey Vulture diet guide → · Best feeder for turkey vultures →
Native plants that hold turkey vultures in Alberta
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Alberta-native plants are known to attract turkey vultures:
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
Late-season bloom supports insects; seed for sparrows.
Seed for crossbills, siskins and chickadees.
Spruce-budworm habitat and dense winter roosting cover.
Cone crops drive winter irruptions of finches and crossbills.
Deciduous conifer with small cones for siskins and redpolls.
Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do turkey vultures arrive in Alberta?
turkey vultures typically arrive in Alberta around March, with nesting underway by April. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do turkey vultures leave Alberta?
Most turkey vultures have left Alberta by July. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do turkey vultures stay in Alberta all year?
No — in Alberta the Turkey Vulture is a summer breeder, present roughly March–July. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before turkey vultures arrive in Alberta?
Have feeders up and clean by early March — first arrivals scout reliable food sources. Good offerings for this species: carrion of all kinds.
Sources
- Turkey Vulture — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Turkey Vulture life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Turkey Vulture — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Alberta
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.