09/06/2026
🪶Today is International Vulture Awareness Day!
Vultures don’t conform to typical societal beauty standards. I think we need to look beyond outward appearances, better yet, why not embrace what makes us unique?
Anyhoo, here are just a few reasons to appreciate these amazing birds:
They’re nature’s cleanup crew.
They consume carcasses that would otherwise be left to decompose, helping keep ecosystems clean.
They help limit disease.
Their incredibly acidic stomachs can destroy many pathogens that would make other animals sick.
They recycle nutrients.
By turning dead animals into nutrients, vultures help keep those nutrients moving thru the ecosystem.
Some can smell carrion from crazy distances.
Turkey vultures have an exceptional sense of smell and can locate food hidden beneath vegetation.
They’re intelligent.
Vultures can learn, problem-solve, navigate complex environments, and use social cues to find noms.
They’re social birds.
Many species gather in groups and have complex social behaviors and communication. I’ve seen them at play and they’re adorable.
They make death part of the circle of life.
Someone has to clean up after nature’s messes. Vultures volunteered.
And maybe the most important reason to love them:
They don’t have to be ‘pretty’ to be deserving of love.
Every native species has a role in its ecosystem.
So today, give some extra love to the birds who keep the world a little cleaner.
