In a previous post, “Photographing Coyotes with a Little Help From Vultures,” I mentioned a coyote keeping a watchful eye on some turkey vultures circling above. Today, we’ll take a closer look at those very vultures with some fascinating close-up shots!
Turkey vultures play a vital role in the ecosystem as scavengers, cleaning up after nature’s events. Unlike coyotes, which are known predators, vultures are not built for fighting. This difference might explain the coyote’s curiosity, or perhaps a fleeting thought of a meal, in my previous post.
Experts assure us that coyotes don’t typically hunt and kill turkey vultures. Coyotes are more focused on easier targets – live prey and scavenging opportunities. While interactions between the two species might occur during scavenging events, coyotes generally leave vultures alone.
There’s a good reason for this. Turkey vultures possess unique defense mechanisms to protect themselves. Their most impressive strategy? Projectile vomiting! When scared or threatened, they launch a projectile of vomit as a form of self-defense. This tactic is particularly effective due to the potent combination of strong stomach acid and partially digested meat they expel, effectively deterring most predators.
So, the next time you see a coyote and a vulture sharing the same space, remember, the coyote might be curious, but the vulture is well-equipped to handle itself!
I never knew about the vomiting!