It's been far too long since my last vulture post. These are among my favorite birds, so I am ashamed of myself (cue cyber tears...).Ivy sent in this photo of a turkey vulture. Unlike so many of its cousins, this bird is thankfully far from endangered. In fact, I see these all the time in Northern California.
But I've never seen one look at me like this.
Then again, a glare to warn me off is better than being vomited on (as they are wont to do). That would make my life in California far less pleasant. There's nothing like the threat of being vomited on to put a damper on your day.
Thanks for the photo, Ivy.
"There's nothing like the threat of being vomited on to put a damper on your day."
ReplyDeleteIf I may make a slight correction to your post (editing done in all caps)...
"There's nothing like being vomited upon BY SOMETHING THAT EATS PUTREFYING ROADKILL to put ONE HELLUVA damper on your MILENNIUM!"
*urp* Ew. Just the thought...blegh...
Just thought of another one...am I the only one that looks at this pic ans asks myself, "Where is the giant, hovering purple crystal?!"
ReplyDelete--TwoDragons
Is that a Skeksi reference? Me likey. Me likey lots.
ReplyDeleteAwright, someone else with excellent taste in cult hits! :-)
ReplyDeleteYeah, even at 33 I'd love to have a Landstrider in the carport and Fizzgig in my lap...or to live in a house like Aughra's...*sigh*
--TwoDragons
LOL - Dark Crystal... coolest movie EVAH. ;) Well, in the top 20 anyhoo.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I LOVE turkey vultures. There was one at the raptor rehab centre I worked at and he was my partner in crime for a long time. He was always a hit with school groups too as he'd ALWAYS poop, directly out of his transport crate, right on the gym floor. If you think the vomit is bad (which it is) imagine the acids in that digestive tract to keep them from dying of some sort of food poisening. ;) I would inevitably have to stop everything and wipe up the poopies because, if left for any length of time, it would start to eat through the varnish on the floor.
He also had a TON of personality. He'd put his wings out for people all the time as if, "Yeah, I'm HOT and you know it." Really, they just religiously sunbath, also to keep down the germs. I loved that big, beautiful lazy boy. He was the biggest bird I got to travel with on a regular basis. My left arm got a lot stronger.
A little conservation note: A lot of vultures are very vulnerable to the West Nile Virus. :( A lot of zoos and rehab centres have been loosing their TUVUS.
I em envious of your experiences, Arachnophile!
ReplyDeleteIt's great work if you can get it... and survive on low pay and infrequent contracts.
ReplyDeleteDon't be envious of the hours scraping dried-on hawk crap off of the sides of indoor flight cages. No dust mask ever feels like enough in those cases. ;)