Vultures are one of the most misunderstood and least appreciated birds in the avian world. Many of the opinions formed by people are based on the way vultures are portrayed in movies and cartoons. A lot of you probably believe that when
Vultures are one of the most misunderstood and least appreciated birds in the avian world. Many of the opinions formed by people are based on the way vultures are portrayed in movies and cartoons. A lot of you probably believe that when vultures are circling overhead, they are waiting for an animal to die. Vultures certainly circle, and can soar for up to six hours without flapping, but they are simply using the thermals to move from place to place.
Another belief that some people have is that they are dirty, disgusting birds, when in fact, if there is a water source available, most vultures will enjoy a bath after a meal. Yes, they eat dead animals, and often don’t find them until the animal has been dead for a day or two, but they do have standards. Even vultures like their meat fairly fresh, and often by the fourth day, they will not feed on carrion because the meat is too rotten.
Some people find vultures ugly because of their almost bald head, but does that make them ugly? There are certainly a lot of bald men walking around, and some are bald by choice, does that make them ugly? Just try to picture a bird with a feathered head, reaching down inside a carcass. Now that would be ugly! Not only do vultures not pick up many food scraps on their head, what they do pick up will easily wash off, or bake off in the sun. Below are six of my favorite interesting facts about vultures, which I hope will help to convince you that vultures are truly fascinating and wonderful birds.
1) If you know anything at all about vultures, then you probably know that they eat, almost exclusively, carrion (dead animals they find). I like to think of them as one of nature’s clean-up crews. But did you know that they can also prevent diseases? Their stomach acids are so strong that they can feed on animals that have died from such things as botulism, anthrax, salmonella, and cholera without causing the vulture to become ill. In fact, their stomach acids actually kill the bacteria and toxins!
If a group of vultures consume an infected carcass, the harmful bacteria or toxin is destroyed so that it can no longer spread to other animals or humans.
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