northern cardinal that got stuck in the aviary .
Many stories circulate about vultures carrying off pets and killing livestock . The first concern is easy to disprove — vultures do not have the means to carry anything with their feet , and even if they could grasp live prey , it would need to weigh less than a couple of pounds for the bird to be able to lift off .
The second claim is trickier . In livestock scenarios , researchers believe birds are going for the afterbirth and can damage or kill a newborn in the process . If an animal is ill and prone , it could become a meal for vultures .
Vulture contributions to ecosystem health far outweigh any negatives associated with the birds . They are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 , but there are additional ways people can support vultures and other raptors : use lead-free ammunition if you hunt and lead-free sinkers when fishing ; slow down when you see them cleaning the roads , give them time to lift off ; remember adult birds are best at raising young birds and report orphans to MDDNR or a local rehabber ; and , to support all wildlife , advocate for open space .
Julie Super , a retired Montgomery Park Naturalist , worked at Meadowside Nature Center in Rockville . Her goal as a naturalist was to help visitors feel connected to the world outside . At Meadowside , she helped train the Center ’ s unreleasable raptors — a bald eagle , barred owls , hawks , and Precious the turkey vulture . If you would like to meet a black vulture in person , contact Julie at Gillisvulture @ gmail . com .
The Joy of Wild Things
We ’ ve been graced for three years with a devoted pair of black vultures that tenderly raise their young on our land . Their kinship with this place and its goings on gives us endless joy . Upon learning of our tenants , responses from folks have ranged from joyful celebration to horror stemming from well-debunked myths . For example :
Vulture poop will make you sick !
Vulture poop is actually a sanitizer . After stepping in a carcass , vultures will often expel their waste , which is white and fluid , onto their legs . The uric acid kills any bacteria that they may have picked up from the dead animal .
Vultures likely prevent the spread of disease . Without vultures to efficiently remove large amounts of decaying meat , both air and groundwater would show increased contamination .
Vultures will attack you and your pets !
We ’ ve never had this problem and , in fact , our cat Boots and our resident possum Dimitri hang out with the vulture family regularly .
Vultures prefer the meat of herbivorous animals , avoiding that of carnivores and preying on weak or sick birds or mammals .
But they poop ! Yes they do but we have something that handles that very easily — the garden hose !
~ Caroline Taylor and family live with their wild friends on small acreage in the Reserve .
plenty I autumn harvest 2022 13