Good timing that I photographed these scavengers last weekend in Estes Park, just in time for today, International Vulture Awareness Day. The day is set aside to honor this ecologically vital group of birds that, while they might not win any beauty contests, perform key roles in the environment.
As nature’s garbage collectors, they feed on carrion they find lying around dead like rabbits, prairie dogs and such and are believed to be able to smell the dead animals up to a mile away. In cleaning up the dead, they help to prevent the spread of disease from the carcasses. Not many photographers share my enthusiasm for them, but I think they are way cool and always enjoy seeing them.
