Center helps turkey vultures whose wings were encased in ice

BARNSTABLE, Mass. (AP) - Recent bone-chilling temperatures across Massachusetts have had even turkey vultures seeking warmth.

The Cape Cod Times reports two turkey vultures whose wings were encased in ice were taken to the Cape Wildlife Center this month after a woman discovered them huddling to stay warm under a bush in her backyard.

Wildlife center executive director Zak Mertz says the center used space heaters to warm the turkey vultures and free them from the ice. Mertz says the birds were soon doing great and eating ferociously.

Wildlife officials tweeted on Thursday the birds had been released back into the wild.

Mertz says he hopes they will rejoin their flock and have a better winter than they’ve had so far.