10 | SUNRAYS
DECEMBER 2013
ONLINE:
SCTXCA.ORG
CA NEWS
Those big black birds we see flying
around Sun City Texas are not buz-
zards―they are either turkey vultures
or black vultures. The vultures can be
differentiated by the color of their heads:
turkey vultures have red heads and the
black vultures have black heads.
These birds are an asset to nature’s
clean-up detail. They eat any carrion
(dead, rotting animals), which generally
means your pets are not in danger from
being eaten alive by a vulture.
The majority of these birds move into our
area in the fall and winter and leave in
the spring; however, some stay with us
year-round. Vultures are very social and
like to roost in large flocks in mature
trees―both live and dead―as well as in
high-voltage power lines, phone towers
and, sometimes, on rooftops. We have
a very large colony roosting in both the
Berry Creek and Cowan Creek areas.
What is the problem with these vul-
tures? They tend to form large colonies
and their feces has a strong acid content
that can damage vegetation, rooftops and
create a very unpleasant odor.
Because the vultures are migratory
and are protected by federal law from
eradication without special permits, con-
trolling them becomes very challenging.
Our goal is not to eliminate the birds,
but to disburse them over a larger area
to include non-Sun City Texas property.
In the past, we have used pyrotechnics,
air-blast guns, effigies and high pres-
sure water systems. To use lethal means
requires federal, state and local permits.
We are fortunate to have a wildlife biolo-
gist on staff who has been able to secure
these permits; however, the lethal option
is always a last resort.
Disbursing these birds from their roost
means they will move somewhere else.
The problem is that we don’t know where
that new roost might be. If you see vul-
tures on your fence or rooftop, you are
encouraged to get them to leave. You
can legally do this with the use of water
hoses or by banging pots or other devices
to create a loud noise. The Community
Association staff can advise you of ac-
tions you may take, but they cannot come
onto your property to remove the birds.
For more information, email the Wildlife
Management Committee at cawildlife@
sctexas.org.
Vultures in Sun City
Submitted by the Wildlife Management Committee
Application Submission
Change beginning
January 2014
There has been a major change in the
Community Standards Department. In
2014, the deadline for application submis-
sion will change from the Tuesday prior
to a meeting to the Friday before a meet-
ing week.
Thus, for the January 9 meeting, appli-
cations need to be submitted by Friday,
January 3. For the January 23 meeting,
the deadline for guaranteed submission
to theModifications Committee is Friday,
January 17. After the month of January,
meetings will revert back to the first and
third Thursday of the month, but the ap-
plication deadline will remain the Friday
before the meeting week.
B-2 Form Revision
Form B-2 has been revised. This form
more clearly designates which features of
a house belong inwhich category and gives
the requirements when a non-approved
color is requested. This B-2 Form is avail-
able online in both the traditional PDF,
two-sided version that can be printed and
filled in, and the PDF digital formversion.
As always, the printed forms are available
in the Library at the Social Center and
in the Community Standards Office. An
original hard copy with signature in ink
must still be submitted.
Holiday Decorations
Many of us already have our outdoor dec-
orations and lights up and plan to keep
themup until January 15. Because decora-
tive outdoor lights are only to be enjoyed
from sunset until 10 p.m., it is important
to remember to turn them off each night
before turning in.
At this time of year, we needn’t worry
about whether decorations in the front
yard exceed 36 inches, nor be concerned
about light bulbs that aren’t shielded. Only
at this time can we have more than 10
items attached to outside walls, such as
wreaths, angels, and strings of lights, or
have more than two items hanging from
trees.
Above all this holiday season, remember
to practice safety first. Don’t climb up that
ladderwithout a spotter. If you don’t have a
service to install and remove your holiday
lights from roof and/or trees, check with
your landscaper or look through the ads in
the Sun City Texas Resource Guide and
Directory or the
Sun Rays
.
We all want this to be a joyful holiday
season and a happy new year!
Ginny Wagner can be reached at
512-948-7462 or email
Bits of Info from Ginny’s Desk
Submitted by Ginny Wagner, Community Standards Supervisor
black headed vulture by wes odell
