Baseline research continues at the UC Hopland Research & Extension Center looking at nest site selection criteria of Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura).  This large carrion-eating bird that makes up Mother Nature's clean-up crew is quite familiar to most Californian's who observe them on highway-side road-kills.   However, most are not aware that this large bird is a cavity nester.

A most favorite nest location for this species is a large hollow cavity inside a living oak tree.   The oak woodlands throughout California, especially those woodlands with large, old decadent trees,  play a major role in maintaining a healthy turkey vulture population in the state by providing premier nest sites.  

Here you see some very young hatchlings, about three days old, inside a very large Interior Live Oak (Quercus wislizeni) tree.