The turkey vulture? Not so much.Įven though their role as nature’s janitorial staff seems gross, they are quite clean due to specialized adaptations. One of the easiest ways to be a voice for vultures is to help counter their negative reputation.įirst and foremost, vultures are not buzzards! Though “buzzard” is often misused interchangeably with “vulture,” the word refers to the Buteo genus and other hawk-like birds. In order to protect the health of our ecosystems, we must be a voice for vultures. They are the only land-dwelling obligate scavengers, meaning that carrion is the cornerstone of their diet, and with this title comes some crucial ecological services, such as mitigating the spread of disease, protecting human and economic health, and slowing climate change (Buechley and Şekercioğlu, 2016). The truth is that these incredible birds are the unsung heroes of the natural world. Common phrases like “circling like vultures” or even “culture vulture” have negative meanings. Pop culture is equally unflattering, often casting them in villainous roles. Associated with death and greed, many believe vultures to be cruel, dirty, and ugly creatures. Vultures have an unfairly bad reputation. This day is intended to raise awareness around the most imperiled group of birds in the word, all while celebrating their importance within our ecosystems. The first Saturday in September each year is International Vulture Awareness Day.
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