00:00Vultures tend to be portrayed as evil, menacing, and solitary creatures, and that might have
00:06something to do with their striking appearance.
00:09Although this bird probably won't win a beauty pageant any time soon, they're not as vile
00:14as you'd think.
00:16Recently we visited the staff at the Carolina Raptor Center where they explained to us just
00:21how valuable these birds really are to other animals and each other.
00:25The turkey vulture, the black vulture, the lesser yellow-headed vulture, and the king
00:32vulture are all part of a group known as New World Vultures because they reside in North
00:37and South America.
00:40These birds share a very important job.
00:42They are part of the cleanup crew.
00:44They eat carrion or dead things that others leave behind, like this black vulture is demonstrating.
00:50They are equipped to digest bacteria and disease that can easily kill other animals.
00:56Now that sounds far more helpful than evil to me.
01:00But what I find the most fascinating is how they help each other.
01:04Now you may think it's easy to catch prey if it can't run away, but sometimes it can
01:10be challenging to spot an animal that isn't moving.
01:13Especially for New World Vultures, they can live in areas where things like tall trees
01:18might block their view.
01:19But that didn't stop these clever birds from adapting different ways to overcome that challenge.
01:25A dead animal tends to be a smelly animal.
01:30Along with excellent eyesight, some species of New World Vultures must also rely on their nose
01:35to point them in the right direction, which is not common for birds.
01:40A turkey vulture, for example, has one powerful sniffer.
01:44They can smell a meal up to a mile away.
01:47However, some vultures need a little help from their friends.
01:51The king vulture sure has the market cornered on style with that brilliant coloration.
01:56But when it comes to sense of smell, it's lacking.
02:00Don't fret, though.
02:02Being one of the larger birds in the area has its perks.
02:05The king vulture will watch for other smaller scavengers to find a feast,
02:09and then push their way to the front of the line.
02:12Sure, the king vulture gets the first bite, but it is also tearing open the tough exterior
02:17that most smaller birds can't cut through.
02:19And in return, a smaller bird, like the lesser yellow-headed vulture,
02:24is able to clean up the remaining meat the king vulture can't reach.
02:28So really, if you wanted to describe vultures,
02:31clever, helpful, and supportive seem like the more appropriate words.
02:36The New World vultures are proof that you should never judge a book by its cover,
02:40and they certainly demonstrate that two heads and two beaks are better than one.
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