Black vultures find food by eye, turkey vultures by sense of smell. Generally they mind their own business of eating dead armadillos, cats, and coons on the side of the road. Sometimes small birds harass the vultures and hawks and owls in flight, but last week I saw the table turned and a black vulture that was swooping on a crow [harmlessly as vulture’s feet are not taloned to grab prey as are hawks], but the crow was making a weird crying noise and trying to hide from it in a tree. The vulture made a couple more flyby dives and then went away. Very weird, not sure if it was just having fun, or if the crow was an early fledger with no experience, or if it was an adult that perhaps had been ticking off the vultures by trying to snitch vulture eggs from a rooftop.
—”Black vultures find food by eye, turkey vultures by sense of smell. “
About 50 years ago, I had a summer job on a cross-country pipeline.
It was said that if you see vultures over a natural gas pipeline... be careful!
A component of natural gas is also produced by decaying flesh, and the vultures are attracted to it.
So, I was told.
I have read that crows have excellent memories, and will recall who or what treated them in some unusual way.
That frightened crow is probably going to ‘tell’ his crow family about that unnerving experience with the vulture.
This may lead to a ‘Payback!’ attack on that specific vulture.
Here in Maryland, on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay, we have a gazillion white-tailed deer and, therefore, abundant roadkill for the vultures.
It is not unusual to spot a bald eagle feasting on a carcass along with a group of vultures. In March of last year, however, while driving, I spotted a bald eagle not too far off the road enjoying a solo feast.
Fortunately, I had the time that day, and I spent about 30 minutes slowly
inching up on him and taking pictures with my cell phone through the windshield. He kept eyeing me periodically, but I was able to get within about 20 feet before he bolted.
But he didn’t fly away; he dashed into some nearby bushes to await the pesky human’s departure. The shots would not impress a real photographer, I am sure, but they are precious to me.
Such a blessed experience.
I’ve seen flocks of crows incessantly harass an owl for hours (up in my deer stand). They make quite a racket.