What is (was) this? Central Maine (Warning: graphic photos) (1 Viewer)

[mtquail]

Not too long ago I was going for a walk along a path in the field next to my house and came across the corpse of a large brown bird. It was missing its head, one of the legs was separated from its body and laying a few feet away, and it was more or less hollowed out of its insides. It was laying right in the middle of the path. I had just been walking on that same path the day before and there was nothing there. At first I thought it was a turkey but now I'm thinking it's some kind of hawk. So what is it? And the bigger question, what do you think did this/how did it get there?

 

[Jeff Hopkins]

I think it's a turkey vulture.

Edit: Was a turkey vulture.

 

[fugl]

Turkey vulture—on the basis of the foot—would be my guess also.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/4655700956/sizes/l/