Vultures spray acid that burns enemies

Türkiye vultures (Cathartes aura) lives in the area from southern Canada to the southern tip of South America, specializing in eating animal carcasses. This scavenger bird has a unique tactic to deter predators, which is to spray stomach acid and half-digested meat at the attacker, according to Live Science.

Türkiye vultures live in diverse habitats, including subtropical forests, lowland shrublands, and deserts. They have bald heads so that when they eat carrion, blood and intestines do not stick to their fur. Like many other vultures, they eat dead animals instead of killing their prey themselves.

Despite their large size with a wingspan of up to 1.7 m, Türkiye vultures are also prey for many other birds, including eagles, owls and falcons. When threatened or frightened, they spray a sour-smelling acid compound that can burn the eyes and skin of predators. Their stomach acid is as strong as battery acid and 100 times stronger than human stomach acid, helping these birds neutralize toxins when eating decomposing meat such as anthrax and botulism.

Türkiye vultures find food using their keen sense of sight and smell. They fly low so they can detect gases released during the early stages of decomposition in dead animals. According to a study published in the journal Ecosystem Services in 2022, vultures prevent tens of millions of tons of carbon-containing gases from being released each year by eating animal carcasses before they decompose and release greenhouse gases. Unlike other birds, they lay their eggs on the ground and hide them under plants, in caves or hollow tree trunks. Although birds are social and live in flocks, they do not have a vocal tract, the organ used to produce bird songs.