Waiting for something to die

[Dave A]

Bird species are not my thing but these two Vultures? looked like they were waiting for dinner to drop dead.
No tripod so rested the D7100 against the railing of the small pier I was on within Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve.

Dave


f7.1, 1/2000 sec., ISO 200, 300mm

[Geoff F]

I have reached an age where I start to worry when I see a buzzard circling overhead. So two vultures would really frighten me.

[chauncey]

Was gonna post my address if it's needed.

[NorthernFocus]

I'm getting slow enough they may even take a go at me while I'm still breathing

[Shadowman]

Nice catch.

[John 2]

Probably on holiday from Tibet. They are ugly birds and you have to wonder why when most birds are reasonably attractive. Nice shot.

[NorthernFocus]

...They are ugly birds and you have to wonder why when most birds are reasonably attractive...

It is rather curious. The theory of evolution is based on random change yet the bird species which feed exclusively on carrion are all similarly hideous in appearance relative to the rest of the feathered creatures.

[IzzieK]

You mean to say, ugliness has a purpose too???

[Tringa]

Nice shot of two pretty healthy looking black vultures. I've read the lack of feathers on the head of these and other vultures that naturally feed on large carcasses (as opposed to or in addition to smaller carrion) is said to be an advantage when they have to put their heads inside a large dead animal. Feathers on the head could get covered in something unpleasant.

Dave

[Rebel]

Nice shot Dave, composed it quite nicely!

[rpcrowe]

Reminds me of the vulture cartoon with the caption "Wait, hell, I'm going down and kill something!"

[Saorsa]

They are natures garbage collector.

The reason they appear ugly is that they often need to stick their heads into carrion to feed. This gets pretty messy and cleaning a head full of feathers is pretty difficult.

The American Wood Stork has a similar plumage pattern because they tend to feed in very muddy places.

You should try watching them for a while to see the effortless way they use thermals to climb to great heights.

[Mike Buckley]

I don't mind them waiting. I just wish they weren't so darned smug about it.

[Tronhard]

In an province in India they made an effort to kill off all the vultures. This had an immediate negative effect as they discovered that dead animals, particularly cows, were rotting where they lay. This led to all sorts of negative spin-offs and they had to repopulate the area with more vultures.

I once saw a David Attenborough documentary on birds that featured the efficient way vultures can hang in the air using their advanced wing plumage and the thermals. Ugly they may be, but they are useful.