oh yeah beware is right! turkey vultures are assholes! i volunteered at a nearby wildlife rehab place and i was trying to clean the vulture's enclosure... she promptly ATTACKED MY HEAD then have me a PUNCTURE WOUND on my leg. HURGH. fine, sit in poo, biotch, see if i care.

Not all of them are, it depends on the individual bird. I've seen some really laid back Turkey Vultures, and some that are quite a bit more feisty. Pilgrim isn't that bad, she likes to get reactions, but there are a few people at the center that she likes (one was our former director, but he's retired now) usually it just depends how much someone works with them, like all birds. The people she sees and interacts with the most there she's pretty good with, but other volunteers that she doesn't see as much she's more likely to cause problems for. I haven't handled her much, but I'd like to try, I've been there for over 2 years now.

ahh i see. Fascinating! Well I'm glad that you're not in danger of puncture wounds. Turkey vultures are really cool, don't get me wrong. I totally love their crazy nostrils.

Well I'm not worried about puncture wounds, what they generally do is grab and twist (from what I've read and heard) besides if I did handle her I'd be wearing a thick leather gauntlet that reached up to my shoulder (that's what we have to use to handle her). As long as I can keep her away from my legs I'll be fine (she can't fly, she hatched with permanent nerve damage in one of her wings).
They are awesome birds. I love how clever they can be. Once she actually somehow succeeded in untying the knot in her leash that kept her tethered to her perch and I found her wandering around the facility (I haven't even been there a year at the time so i didn't dare trying to pick her up to put her back that time, I got the assistant director to put her back).