The Black Vulture nests mainly on the ground in tangles of dense vegetation such as palmettos, but will also lay its eggs in stumps, in deserted buildings and crevices and holes in cliffs. It prefers dark, protected areas. The Black Vulture tends to nest colonially, with many pairs nesting near abundant sources of food. Eggs are laid on whatever litter is present. Sometimes nearby vegetation and pebbles appear to be arranged in some loose order. All nest sites are smelly!
Egg-laying can begin as early as late January in the southern United States and late April in the northeastern United States. The eggs are elliptical or long-oval in shape and the shell is smooth, or finely granulated, without a glossy appearance. The background color varies from a dull white to a creamy white. Large spots of dark brown are often set in larger blotches of lavender or pale chocolate which is scattered over the entire egg but often accumulates at the larger end to form a wreath-like pattern. Occasionally some eggs have few spots and blotches. The average egg size is 2.81 inches (71.3 mm) x 2.00 inches (50.9 mm). Clutch size ranges from one to three eggs, but is usually two. Eggs are grayish-green or ale blue colored. The incubation period ranges from 37 to 41 days, and males and females share incubation duties with shifts lasting about one day. Eggs can hatch up to three days apart. Replacement clutches are laid three to four weeks after the loss of the first clutch. Over 60% of nests lose one or more eggs during incubation due to predation, flooding, or adults accidentally kicking eggs out of sight into brush. Young are brooded constantly for the first two weeks and remain in the nest for about 10 to 11 weeks, before beginning to fly. Young gradually move away from the nest site after beginning to fly. Some family groups may remain together up to six months after young leave the nest, with parents continuing to feed their young.
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