TulsaPets Magazine September 2021

September/October 2021 • TulsaPets 27 softens as the bacteria count rises. This is helpful to the digestive tract of a vulture, which flaunts the lowest pH in gastric juices. Although it would make any human gravely ill, it makes a vulture only happily full. When communities in India decided vultures were a threat and waged war against them, they decimated the vulture popula- tions. Result — no birds to steadily disman- tle carcasses. Rabies grew rampant as other species — those not tolerant of said bacteria or viruses — ingested diseased meat. OK, so maybe a vulture has a face that only a mother could love. Sadly, vulture chicks won’t feel that way about you. Babies imprint very easily, and their little vulture love can be quite a pain for anyone not careful enough to avoid it. (An aside here: Vultures are big birds. So if a baby vulture decides you’re not only Mom or Dad — maybe it matures into thinking you are its mate — you have a problem on your hands as well as having destroyed the successful release of the bird. And here’s a news flash: Condors are in the vulture family. Their wingspan can reach about 11 to 12 feet, maybe more. Just picture a condor propos- ing a romp in the branches with you….) Unlike other raptors, whose hoots or calls can be eerily thrilling, vultures don’t have a syrinx, which is the vocal organ in birds. They communicate by grunting, hissing, and flapping with all they’ve got. I know — too bad there isn’t a charm school out there for vultures. Keep reading. As in all animals, there is a reason for any bird behavior. Some folks have had the chance to see blue jays, crows, and robins suddenly stop and spread their wings in sunlight. They look like they have been struck by a magic wand and are about to transform or have eaten the wrong mush- room or something. Vultures do this too. It’s called a “horaltic pose,” and it is used to warm and expose feathers down to the skin. That triggers any parasites to run, which will then allow birds to nab and destroy them. Another term directly related to vulture- dom is “mute,” the action taken when they need to cool off or are deep in rotting meat and want to avoid being infested with coo- ties. They discharge urine — in the form of a white, wet, pasty mass, mixed with feces — all over their legs. It’s their own version of running through the sprinkler. This also helps with repelling predators and para- sites. What a surprise! Who would think self-anointing could accomplish so much? Another superpower that vultures possess has a lot to do with their lineage. From the family Cathartidae — a root for similar word meanings for catharsis, purging, and purification — vultures can projectile-vom- it as far as 10 feet and will do so when frightened or angry (another solid reason for avoiding imprinting a vulture). Many of these traits inspired Native American legends to explain why vultures exist and flourish in our culture today. But full disclosure here: Despite the many years I have rehabilitated wildlife and grown to appreciate a wide variety of creatures, it was still creepy to attend a high school reunion at the top of the CityPlex Towers only to find that a “committee” of vultures had cho- sen to roost there that night. They eyed us through the glass surrounding the top floor. Luckily, I knew enough about it to loudly dispel the myth that they were gathering to watch an animal die. Then again…. A black vulture chick poses for the camera. The more black feathers, the older the babies are.