The Dallas Zoo was conducting an all-points search for an African white-backed vulture that flew the coop.

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Susan Eckert, a spokeswoman for the zoo, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that calls about sightings have come from as far away as Boston. The zoo is trying to use calls to come up with a map, to see if experts can find a pattern to the bird's movements.

The vulture, a female, got out a week ago. At one point, keepers thought they had the bird cornered but it flew away and headed south.

Most of the sightings have proved to be turkey vultures or red-tail hawks. One report that could be the real thing came from Mildred Bryant, who lives near Lake Bridgeport, about 80 miles from Dallas.

"It's a pretty good size, has a funny-looking breast and funny-looking beak," Bryant "I think it's the missing one."

Bryant said the bird spent most of two days perched in a tree near her home.