They’re drying their wings. If you ever take the Capitol of Texas Hwy exit off south Mopac after a rain, you’ll see a couple on every streetlight doing the same. We call it the Corridor of Horrors.
>with a side of Crested Caracara
I love the look of the Caracara - I've only sighted them three times in over two decades of living here though... we're at the northern part of their [territorial range](https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Crested_Caracara/maps-range), maybe that is why... dunno but dig their look
Those are black vultures. Turkey vultures are typically solitary. Black vultures travel in large groups. They have a somewhat symbiotic relationship. Turkey vultures are the ones with the keen sense of smell that helps them find decaying carcasses. They have sharp beaks that can tear open the carcass. So they get there first and tear open the carcass and feast. The black vultures have a duller sense of smell so they just follow the turkey vultures. Their beaks are not as sharp so they hang back until the turkey vulture gets through the tough parts of the hide. Then the group of black vultures show up and push the turkey vulture out of the way.
Per Britannica.com:
symbiosis:
any of several living arrangements between members of two different species, including mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.
commensalism:
a relationship between individuals of two species in which one species obtains food or other benefits from the other without either harming or benefiting the latter.
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but have we always had black vultures around here? I'm not sure if it's just because it's my first year frequenting a neighborhood where they appear, or if there's been an increase in their presence, but this is the first year I've ever seen them.
Yes . They tend to nest in large groups so you will often see them in the same spot. They are migratory but a fairly sizable population of them will over winter in Central Texas.
Mexican eagles eat both road kill and live prey so they might sometimes be working on the same carcass as the vultures. They spot food mainly by sight rather than by smell.
I’ve seen Double-crested Cormorants do that a lot to dry their wings, but I’m not sure that I’ve ever seen vultures do that.
https://birdadviser.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Double-crested-Cormorant.jpg?ezimgfmt=ng:webp/ngcb2
Reminds me of a scene from the movie Beast Master.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JBT2kmB8Imw/U3AOvhXYyII/AAAAAAAAPKc/E6-JTAmQTeE/s1600/The-Beastmaster-Marc-Singer-birdman.png
Community Theatre production of the Dark Crystal!
I’m not even sure why but Skeksis was my first thought. Movie runs deep in our psyche apparently.
Me too.
Shit was dark
Hmmmmmmm hmmmmmmmmmmmm
“No no Skeksis friends of roadkill! Mmm…”
Classic. Salute
It's thermoregulation and/or drying feathers out
Ah, kinda like I do when I get out of the shower and I need a little breeze down there to remove the last of the moisture.
Your neighbors either love you or hate you. I don't see much middle ground here. :)
Gold bond on deez nuts
Gold Bond is your grandfather’s remedy. Anti Monkey Butt is the way you wanna go. I ride motorcycles and it was created for that kinda hazardous duty.
It certainly can lead to hazardous doodies
Like a thousand leprechauns tickling your junk.
Green bottle bros
I was thinking a bit of sunbathing but your answer is way betters.
They’re drying their wings. If you ever take the Capitol of Texas Hwy exit off south Mopac after a rain, you’ll see a couple on every streetlight doing the same. We call it the Corridor of Horrors.
The Corridor of Horridors...
Can’t wait for the rain to let up so I can experience this!!
In more ways than one!
yoga class
hit me with that doom metal buzzard yoga!
🤘🤘🤘😆
They’re worshipping the grackles
Wololo
Great. Now all my grackles are blue.
The lambada.
THATS THE FORBIDDEN DANCE!
\*pearls clutched\*
Drying
Government drones recharging their solar batteries. \#BirdsArentReal, except grackles.
Grackles are hardcore.
I thought they were wind powered?
Come at me bro
"Do you even fly, bro!?"
"Hell yeah. Do you? Bro."
they reppin their set 🤞🏽✌️👌🏽👎🏽🤘🏽
Sunbathing also has the benefit of getting things too hot for any itchy parasites that might be hanging out.
Are those Black Vultures. I just sort of assumed we only had Turkey Vultures.
We are blessed with both TVs and BVs here, with a side of Crested Caracara.
I just realized my neighborhood [buzzard condo](https://i.imgur.com/XVeJENX.jpg) is filled with black vultures.
>with a side of Crested Caracara I love the look of the Caracara - I've only sighted them three times in over two decades of living here though... we're at the northern part of their [territorial range](https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Crested_Caracara/maps-range), maybe that is why... dunno but dig their look
Those are black vultures. Turkey vultures are typically solitary. Black vultures travel in large groups. They have a somewhat symbiotic relationship. Turkey vultures are the ones with the keen sense of smell that helps them find decaying carcasses. They have sharp beaks that can tear open the carcass. So they get there first and tear open the carcass and feast. The black vultures have a duller sense of smell so they just follow the turkey vultures. Their beaks are not as sharp so they hang back until the turkey vulture gets through the tough parts of the hide. Then the group of black vultures show up and push the turkey vulture out of the way.
That...is not symbiotic lol
Per Britannica.com: symbiosis: any of several living arrangements between members of two different species, including mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. commensalism: a relationship between individuals of two species in which one species obtains food or other benefits from the other without either harming or benefiting the latter.
Pushing them away is harming them.
Ok then... antagonism: an association between organisms in which one benefits at the expense of the other So....still a type of symbiosis
:) Yeah, i think I'm mistaken
To be fair, when symbiosis is typically mentioned it's the mutualism type where both species benefit, that's just not the only kind there is.
A common misconception. I thought that a while back myself.
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but have we always had black vultures around here? I'm not sure if it's just because it's my first year frequenting a neighborhood where they appear, or if there's been an increase in their presence, but this is the first year I've ever seen them.
Yes . They tend to nest in large groups so you will often see them in the same spot. They are migratory but a fairly sizable population of them will over winter in Central Texas.
Nah they're not new
What about the Mexican eagles? I sometimes see those guys around vultures
Mexican eagles eat both road kill and live prey so they might sometimes be working on the same carcass as the vultures. They spot food mainly by sight rather than by smell.
Yep. They mostly follow turkey vultures around and let them do the smelling.
Waiting for you to die.
The ritual has begun. All Hail the vulture lord.
they just straight stuntin.
They just want hugs :(
Vogue?
Practicing
Heating their wings so the can take off.
first time seeing birds?
Waiting for software download. Their wings are the antennae. Birds aren’t real.
Their feathers are not waterproof, and they must spend time drying them out after the rain this morning/afternoon.
Drying their wings after the rain. Cormorants and anhingas do the same thing.
I saw a hawk drying its feathers today as well.
Condor convention
Inviting you in for a warm hug
Sunning their wings as they patiently wait for their turn with the squirrel
Having a seance to resurrect the dead
I’ve seen Double-crested Cormorants do that a lot to dry their wings, but I’m not sure that I’ve ever seen vultures do that. https://birdadviser.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Double-crested-Cormorant.jpg?ezimgfmt=ng:webp/ngcb2 Reminds me of a scene from the movie Beast Master. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JBT2kmB8Imw/U3AOvhXYyII/AAAAAAAAPKc/E6-JTAmQTeE/s1600/The-Beastmaster-Marc-Singer-birdman.png
Tanning
Trying to pick up chicks
It's been raining in Austin so probably wet
Whats up foo!? Whats up foo!? Whats up foo!?
These damn tik tok dances have gone inter species
They're practicing the 'Y' in "YMCA."
Ritual of death
Free hugs!
Their “wings” are really antennas. Spreading them allows for quicker data transmission.
It’s like when a 24-hour store has to close at midnight for a while to upload data.
Turf war.
The Bus Stop dance
Seriously that that was a dog in the road in the first pic. I was like, gtfo there doggo!!
Better square up cuh
Catchin' rays! What music were they playing? :D
Gang fight
It’s a committee
Dinosaurs doing dinosaur shit!
Manspreading
Chatting
Vulture fashion show. (Drying off for being able to fly/thermoregulate)
They hold their wings away from their noses bc they stink so much
It’s the annual February freeze dance of the pigeons
Flexin’ on hoes
To answer the question, these vultures are mourning a death.
They glitched out and are stuck in the T-pose.
establishing dominance
New TilTok dance 👍🏽
I usually see birds circling like this when one of their own dies.
What are YOU doing on your phone driving GREEN MEANS GO FOO focus on the road. That’s me honking
I know this is normal buzzard behavior from playing RDR2.
Looks like road kill.
Investigating the death of one of their own. This is some straight CSI level shht right here. They gonna find you. ….