The black or Mexican buzzards are still on the protected list due to falling under the migratory species act... BUT.... due to their predation of livestock, and becoming nuisances around towns and cities etc... many states can and will issue permits to destroy a certain number of them. They are becoming one of the worst of the predators of livestock.... they will attack a cow while calving before she can get up and clean or protect her calf... they will go after sheep that are lambing and peck out their eyes and then eat them from the anus and it is really bad. They will attack a calf that is weak from something like scours...
Most game wardens and animal control type people will "not see it" if a farmer kills one or some that are attacking livestock but LEGALLY they are still protected. It is a little bit of a process to get the permit, but it is getting easier and more common in more and more states.
They are the sorriest meanest nastiest of all winged predators.
The reason that many of the turkey buzzards are disappearing from areas where these move in, is because they will crowd out the less aggressive turkey buzzards from kill cleanup, and they will also destroy eggs in nests and have been known to lay their eggs in other nests on occasion...