“Let us praise the noble turkey vulture: No one envies him; he harms nobody; and he contemplates our little world from a most serene and noble height.”
—Edward Abbey
Have you even seen an old cowboy movie where a character is out in the desert, hot, lost, thirsty with an empty canteen looking up toward the sky to see circulating turkey vultures, worrying he was going to be their next meal. This is a myth or in modern day parlance "Fake News!” Vultures do not circle and follow dying animals and humans.
As I rode my bike on the block long tree-lined sidewalk leading to the entrance of our gated-community I saw what at first glance thought was a big crow. As I got closer I realized it was a turkey vulture. I had seen the tough fuchsia skin of its head, with a bone-white beak, and chestnut layered feathers that ended abruptly at its neck. They are typically not dangerous to humans or other animals. Despite a generally negative view from humans, they play an important role in the ecosystem by scavenging and cleaning up “carrion" which means dead animal flesh before it rots and poses a health risk.
In this case it appeared to be a dead squirrel. They possess an extraordinary keen sense of smell from a mile or two away. These peaceful animals that have a life span of up to 24 years pose no risk to your pets, children, or infants. I had to ride past the Turkey vulture and I knew it would probably slowly take flight as I got closer. I was prepared to take serial photos of its launch with my new i-phone 15 Pro. It was poetry in flight.
Postscript: It is interesting to note that there are dozens of stories in the Native American, Celtic, African, and Tibetan culture that praise the vulture as a beacon of spiritual renewal, cleansing, purification, and patience. In fact, Tibetan monks who believe in rebirth, say they want to return to earth as vultures in their next lifetime because they do not kill to survive. Perhaps, this is why the Cherokee refer to Turkey vultures as “Peace Eagles."
