Story follows young fledgling Heap and Mama Turkey Vulture as they move into a new neighborhood. Heap meets many of his avian neighbors as readers learn about vulture adaptations and traits of common birds in the Eastern United States. Heap doesn't feel welcome or understood by the other birds. He ventures far away from home arriving at a landfill, that is home to black and turkey vultures. There he feels like one of the venue. But Mama Vulture eventually finds him and convincing him to return home because he is needed as nature's best recycler.