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It’s been a long, winding road for Lord Richard, a turkey vulture whose sex confused keepers, is having his 45th birthday, making him one of the oldest turkey vultures in captivity.
Lindsay Wildlife Experience, which has been caring for Lord Richard since his arrival there in 1974, is throwing him a birthday party on June 30, complete with a cake made of his favorites — animal entrails, worms and a topping of watermelon.
Guests won’t be served slices of the cake, but they will get watermelon and can create cards for this amazing bird.
Lord Richard came to Lindsay’s Walnut Creek center and rehabilitation hospital from Randall Museum in San Francisco. He had been orphaned and briefly raised by a family before he was turned over to the museum. During that time he imprinted on humans and he didn’t get along with other turkey vultures, which meant he could never be released into the wild.
When Richard arrived at Lindsay, it was assumed he was a male. Unlike most other birds where differences in sex are readily apparent, there are no outward signs to distinguish male and female turkey vultures.
Then in 1980, Lord Richard apparently laid an egg and the world turned upside down. Richard was now a Lady, but Lindsay officials decided to keep his name the same even though it could be jarring to hear keepers refer to Lord Richard as a she.
Last year, the question of he or she was finally put to rest when Lindsay used a new, inexpensive test to determine sex in birds. Turns out they had it right in the beginning. Lord Richard is a male, and no one can explain the egg.
Lead Animal Keeper Rachael Cross says Lord Richard is truly one of a kind and Lindsay hopes to keep celebrating his life for years to come.
“Lord Richard has been greeting visitors into Lindsay Wildlife Experience for decades,” Cross says. “He is the first animal they see when they arrive and the last one as they leave. Nearly every time his keepers go out to bring him back in at the end of the day he has his regular visitors, telling him stories and just admiring his curious personality.
Cross says being a keeper to a turkey vulture that has made such an impact on stranger’s lives is a privilege.
“We celebrate Lord Richard to honor not only his longevity but his mark in our little world here at Lindsay.”
The birthday party starts at 10 a.m. June 30 at Lindsay, 1931 First Ave., Walnut Creek. All the events are free with paid admission — $10 for adults, $8 for children 2 to 17, $9 for those 65 and older, and free for members.
Birthday plans
- 10:15 a.m., 11:15 a.m. and noon — Story time with the Contra Costa County Library
- 1 p.m. — Sing “happy birthday” to Lord Richard, have some watermelon and make birthday cards
- 2:45 p.m. — “Animals in Action,” where you’ll learn more about turkey vultures and other animals
- 4:30 p.m. — Good night, Richard
Lord Richard has a counterpart in Minnesota, a 45-year-old turkey vulture named Nero. The turkey vulture hatched in 1974 and was taken by the University of Wisconsin to use for study. He served as a model for developing wing tags, color markers and radio-transmitter mounts that were used in the California condor breeding and conservation program. Nero now resides at the University of Minnesota’s Raptor Center and is part of the education program.
