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Somerset turkey vulture friendly and harmless, owner says

Alan Wells Gilbert the turkey vultureAlan Wells
Alan Wells said Gilbert was tame, friendly and would not hurt any dogs or animals in people's gardens

A man who adopted a turkey vulture when the zoo it was due to go to closed during the pandemic is helping residents get used to the "friendly" bird in case it visits their gardens.

Alan Wells, who runs Pitcombe Rock Falconry in Bruton, Somerset, took in Gilbert a year ago after Prague Zoo said they could no longer home him.

Mr Wells said Gilbert liked to stop and say "hello to people in their gardens".

However, he said he appreciated it "can be a bit intimidating" for people.

"When I trained Gilbert a year ago my intention was to allow him to fly as free as I could. The thought of him landing in people's gardens never entered my head," said Mr Wells.

Gilbert had been bound for Prague Zoo in the Czech Republic, but when the attraction closed to visitors during the Covid-19 pandemic, he was taken in by Mr Wells, who rehomes and rehabilitates birds of prey.

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Frank Ronsholt A turkey vulture from North AmericaFrank Ronsholt
  • Turkey vultures are typically found in the deserts and forests of North America
  • They have a keen sense of smell and a red, bald head, like a turkey
  • They can stand up to 2ft (61cm) tall with a wingspan of up to 6ft (1.8m)
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Mr Wells said after he had one complaint, where someone "demanded I stopped Gilbert from coming into their garden", he started to post about the bird on social media to reassure people living nearby.

He said the posts had a "really positive" response with some residents hoping the young bird would stop in their gardens for a visit.

"It's not every day you get a vulture come and land in your garden," he added.

'Perfectly safe'

The main thing he wanted people to know is that Gilbert was "tame and harmless".

"A turkey vulture only eats dead stuff so if your pet, guinea pig or rabbits are running around your garden, they're perfectly safe.

"He's not interested in anything that lives", he added.

Gilbert is GPS tracked and Mr Wells, who is fully licensed, said: "Gilbert is a wild animal and can go wherever he wants to."

However, he said if anyone was unhappy with the vulture being in their garden, they can call him and he will pick Gilbert up.

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