Squabbling Over Food

In my family, Christmas is second only to Thanksgiving when it comes to gorging one's self on food. We go to great lengths to ensure that we have plenty of food, so as to avoid squabbling.

The vultures below took no such precautions. First we have a pair of white-backed vultures (Gyps africanus) fighting over a fetid morsel. I imagine that the smell of rancid mystery meat is to a vulture what a slab of gravy-smothered turkey breast is to me. To each his own.

Photo source: Gerhard



















This last photo is much more clear cut as to who is going to end up with the meal. The lappet-faced vulture (aka Nubian vulture or Aegypius tracheliotus) is the largest and most aggressive vulture in Africa, and the party's over for lesser vultures when these guys alight at the feast.. The white-backed vulture no doubt let out a sigh of resignation as he watched the beast come in for a landing. Then he grabbed one last bite before squawking and scampering off.