Why do vultures poop on their feet

To aid that process, some species will literally poop on their legs and allow the viscous liquid to evaporate, cooling their skin.

The waste serves an additional purpose: Thanks to their diet, vulture poop is highly acidic and acts as a disinfectant for their feet, slaying harmful bacteria they pick up while hopping around animal carcasses. In , John James Audubon challenged the prevailing belief that all vultures had an extraordinary sense of smell.

Both sides were partially right. Most Old World vultures are indeed guided by vision—as is the North American black vulture, which is probably the species that Audubon looked at in his experiments.

The nasal septum, a wall of bone and cartilage in the nose, separates the left and right nasal passages. Turkey vultures lack this structure, which is also absent in yellow-headed vultures. With round-edged stones, the Egyptian vulture Neophron percnopterus hammers away at ostrich eggs until they crack open. Once the hard work has been done, though, ravens will sometimes swoop down, chase the vultures off, and steal the exposed yolks. Old World vultures keep a close eye on their neighbors.

When one of the birds locates a carcass, another individual may watch its descent and infer that the first bird is headed towards a dead animal.

In short order, a whole bunch of observant vultures can gather around a carcass, simply by following other members of their species. Likewise, some African vultures track steppe and tawny eagles over long distances in the hope that these raptors will lead them to a nice meal of carrion. Given their reputation as scavengers, people often think of vultures as disgusting or unsavory birds.

But some cultures admire vultures and their scavenging ways. In ancient Egypt, vultures were thought to be especially devoted mothers , so they were commonly associated with maternity and compassion. Also, since the birds soar at great heights with an all-seeing gaze, the ancient Egyptians viewed them as living embodiments of their rulers. From tip to tip, the wingspan of an Andean condor can measure The Andean Condor beats them in terms of total surface area.

Turkey Vultures appear black from a distance but up close are dark brown with a featherless red head and pale bill. While most of their body and forewing are dark, the undersides of the flight feathers along the trailing edge and wingtips are paler, giving a two-toned appearance.

Vultures also eat plant material including pumpkins, coconuts, juniper berries, and grapes. Mammals serve as the predominant source of carrion, but dead birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates also are consumed. Do turkey vultures poop on their legs? Category: pets birds. The uric acid kills any bacteria that they may have picked up from the dead animal.

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Since a vulture's digestive juices kill bacteria--which is why vultures don't get sick from eating rotten meat--defecating on their legs might even work as an antiseptic wash. Their method of self-defense is to vomit their food, which they can send sailing 10 feet.

If a turkey vulture is disturbed or harassed, it will throw up on the animal who is bothering it. Even the vulture babies will vomit on other animals. Though these behaviors might distress people, they serve turkey vultures well. Vulture vomit is an effective predator repellent. Did you know? A Turkey Vulture live up to 20 years in the wild.

People mistakenly call turkey vultures, buzzards, which is the British name for certain hawks. Turkey Vulture Silhouette Animal silhouettes available to purchase ». All About Birds: Turkey Vulture. Turkey Vulture photos ». Vulture Society - Turkey Vulture Facts. Why do turkey vultures defecate on their feet?