Video: Vulture gets pumpkin surprise for Halloween

Halloween turkey vulture treats
Halloween turkey vulture treats at the Minnesota Raptor Center.
Tim Post / MPR News

The University of Minnesota Raptor Center recently gave its resident turkey vulture, a 40-year-old fellow named Nero, a Halloween treat.

The center's education program manager, Gail Buhl, placed strips of raw rat meat inside a jack-o'-lantern.

It gave the raptor an experience similar to what he'd have in the wild — sticking his head inside a carcass to pull out some dinner.

The Raptor Center staff carved a hole in the back of the pumpkin so MPR News reporter Tim Post was able to capture the action with a GoPro camera.

The center staff occasionally uses pumpkins and other seasonally available produce as an enrichment tool. It presents the captive birds with a bit of a challenge and serves as a way to keep their minds sharp.

Nero was hatched in Wisconsin 1974 and was raised in captivity. He's one of the birds the center uses in its public education demonstrations.

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