Happy Buzzards Day

These sky-soaring scavengers are full of surprises. Here are 3 Wild & Wacky Facts about them:

1. They Can Smell Dinner from Miles Away.

Unlike most birds, turkey vultures (nicknamed buzzards in some places) have an incredible sense of smell. They can sniff out a dead animal from over a mile away—even through thick forest! It’s like having a built-in radar for finding snacks... if snacks were dead animals.

2. They’re Nature’s Clean-Up Crew

Buzzards eat dead animals (called carrion), which might sound nasty, but it’s super important for keeping the environment clean. Without them, the world would be full of rotting carcasses, spreading disease everywhere. So yeah, they’re basically the unsung heroes of hygiene.

3. They Poop on Their Legs to Stay Cool

Yep, you read that right. When it gets too hot, buzzards poop or pee on their legs to cool themselves off, this weird behavior, called urohidrosis, works like sweat for them. Gross? Yes. Effective? Also yes. Buzzards genuinely have no shame.

Buzzards might not be the cutest birds out there, but they’re definitely some of the coolest (and weirdest) when it comes to survival skills!