{"id":142752,"date":"2025-04-09T02:46:50","date_gmt":"2025-04-09T07:46:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=142752"},"modified":"2025-07-07T12:39:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T17:39:09","slug":"squabbling-turkey-vultures-on-a-hog-carcass","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/04\/09\/squabbling-turkey-vultures-on-a-hog-carcass\/","title":{"rendered":"Squabbling Turkey Vultures On A Hog Carcass"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two days ago, while visiting Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma<\/span><\/a>, I had the opportunity to photograph two Turkey Vultures squabbling on a hog carcass.<\/p>\n

\"TurkeyTurkey Vulture – This is my hog! \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f11, 1\/1000, ISO 800, +0.3 EV, Canon RF 800mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

When I took the photo above, I laughed out loud\u2014I had to! I could already envision several captions for it, and I decided on “Turkey Vulture \u2013 This is my hog!” because the vulture on the left looked like it was saying that to the one on the right.<\/p>\n

Turkey Vultures aren\u2019t the most handsome birds, or even appealing to most people. Me? I find them interesting, and I\u2019m grateful for them because they\u2019re part of Mother Nature\u2019s clean-up crew.<\/p>\n

The hog carcass the vultures are on has been in that field for several weeks, and these birds are helping to clean it up by feeding on it.<\/p>\n

\"TurkeyTurkey Vultures on a hog carcass \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f11, 1\/1000, ISO 800, +0.3 EV, Canon RF 800mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I’ve said much of this about Turkey Vultures before, but here I go again.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Turkey Vultures, and scavengers in general, are unsung heroes in local ecosystems. Here\u2019s how they help:<\/p>\n

1. Natural sanitation crew:<\/strong>
\nThey clean up carcasses that could otherwise spread disease. By consuming dead animals, they help prevent outbreaks of diseases like anthrax, rabies, and botulism, which can linger in decaying bodies.<\/p>\n

2. Ecosystem balance:<\/strong>
\nBy quickly removing carrion, they reduce food sources for less desirable scavengers like feral dogs or rats, which can cause ecological imbalances or bring their own set of health risks.<\/p>\n

3. Nutrient recycling:<\/strong>
\nThey help return nutrients to the soil. After digestion and waste, what’s left gets broken down and reabsorbed into the environment, nature\u2019s way of not wasting a thing.<\/p>\n

4. Low-impact diners:<\/strong>
\nTurkey Vultures don\u2019t typically kill prey or damage live plants. They live off what\u2019s already dead, which makes their environmental impact low and their benefits high.<\/p>\n

5. Disease resistance:<\/strong>
\nTheir strong stomach acid can neutralize many harmful pathogens in rotting meat, meaning they safely consume things that would make most animals sick, and keep those pathogens from spreading.<\/p>\n

So yeah, they\u2019re not exactly glamorous, but Turkey Vultures are like the ecological equivalent of a deep-cleaning crew with iron stomachs and a taste for recycling.<\/p>\n

That’s pretty impressive when you think about it.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to view more of my Turkey Vulture photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Two days ago, while visiting Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma, I had the opportunity to photograph two Turkey Vultures squabbling on a hog carcass.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":142746,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,13973,13974,1315],"tags":[4004,14190,13984,9072,4322,16180,16381,153,165,16383,2443,4618,4617,16382],"class_list":["post-142752","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-oklahoma","category-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge","category-turkey-vultures","tag-adult","tag-bottomland-hardwood-forest","tag-bottomlands","tag-carcass","tag-cathartes-aura","tag-corn-field","tag-hog","tag-raptors","tag-spring","tag-stubble-field","tag-turkey-vulture","tag-vulture","tag-vultures","tag-wild-hog"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/turkey-vultures-hog-carcass-mia-mcpherson-3213.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-B8s","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":156105,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/09\/16\/immature-turkey-vulture-photos-from-oklahoma\/","url_meta":{"origin":142752,"position":0},"title":"Immature Turkey Vulture Photos From Oklahoma","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning I was delighted to take immature Turkey Vulture photos at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge along with some images of adults.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Turkey Vulture thermoregulating in Oklahoma, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/turkey-vulture-sequoyah-immature-mia-mcpherson-8656.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/turkey-vulture-sequoyah-immature-mia-mcpherson-8656.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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field at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/black-vultures-in-a-field-mia-mcpherson-8853.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/black-vultures-in-a-field-mia-mcpherson-8853.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/black-vultures-in-a-field-mia-mcpherson-8853.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/black-vultures-in-a-field-mia-mcpherson-8853.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":139162,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/02\/02\/winter-black-vulture-photos-from-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":142752,"position":2},"title":"Winter Black Vulture Photos From Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 2, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"While at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma yesterday morning, I was delighted to photograph this adult Black Vulture on a bright, sunny winter day.","rel":"","context":"In "Black Vultures"","block_context":{"text":"Black Vultures","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/diurnal-raptors\/black-vultures\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Black Vulture perched on a possible nesting site, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-vulture-winter-sequoyah-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2677.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-vulture-winter-sequoyah-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2677.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-vulture-winter-sequoyah-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2677.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-vulture-winter-sequoyah-nwr-mia-mcpherson-2677.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":115586,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/09\/02\/international-vulture-awareness-day-2023\/","url_meta":{"origin":142752,"position":3},"title":"International Vulture Awareness Day 2023","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 2, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Today is International Vulture Awareness Day 2023. I admit to having a soft spot for vultures because they are often misunderstood, and because I tend to stand up for those who have no voice.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Two Turkey Vultures on a spring morning, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/turkey-vultures-on-a-cliff-mia-mcpherson-3929.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/turkey-vultures-on-a-cliff-mia-mcpherson-3929.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/turkey-vultures-on-a-cliff-mia-mcpherson-3929.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/turkey-vultures-on-a-cliff-mia-mcpherson-3929.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":142960,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/04\/18\/turkey-vulture-on-muscadine-vines\/","url_meta":{"origin":142752,"position":4},"title":"Turkey Vulture On Muscadine Vines","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"A simple photo of a Turkey Vulture perched on a Muscadine vine is what I\u2019m sharing today. I took it last week at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Turkey Vulture on a Muscadine vine, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/turkey-vulture-muscadine-vine-mia-mcpherson-5093.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/turkey-vulture-muscadine-vine-mia-mcpherson-5093.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/turkey-vulture-muscadine-vine-mia-mcpherson-5093.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/turkey-vulture-muscadine-vine-mia-mcpherson-5093.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":140974,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/02\/28\/two-black-vultures-in-winter\/","url_meta":{"origin":142752,"position":5},"title":"Two Black Vultures In Winter","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"While I was at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma yesterday, Steve Creek and I went for a walk, and I photographed these two Black Vultures.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Two Black Vultures next to Goss' Slough, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-vultures-ground-mia-mcpherson-6333.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-vultures-ground-mia-mcpherson-6333.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-vultures-ground-mia-mcpherson-6333.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/black-vultures-ground-mia-mcpherson-6333.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142752","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142752"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142752\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/142746"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142752"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142752"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=142752"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}