Gonçalo Elias
avesdeportugal.info
Hi all,
In my home country (Portugal) there have been several claims concerning vultures supposedly feeding on live farm animals, especially newborn sheep (which allegedly are eaten alive at the very moment they are born).
These claims are generally based on 'reports' of people, who claim to have seen that behaviour, but strangely enough proof always fails to appear - no pictures or videos, no exact details as to date or location, everything is left a bit vague. The excuse for the lack of proof is that 'in such a horror scene, nobody thinks about taking pictures'.
As far as I know, no ornithologist, birdwatcher or bird photographer has witnessed or documented such an event in this country. All 'reports' come from hunters or farmers, in most cases quoting other people who have seen it.
I am not sure about what is true and what is fantasy in this story and I would like to get more information on this topic.
Does anybody know of any evidence (more than just claims or unsubstantiated reports) that vultures can attack and eat healthy live animals? Have any changes in feeding habits of these scavenger birds been documented?
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks.
Gonçalo
In my home country (Portugal) there have been several claims concerning vultures supposedly feeding on live farm animals, especially newborn sheep (which allegedly are eaten alive at the very moment they are born).
These claims are generally based on 'reports' of people, who claim to have seen that behaviour, but strangely enough proof always fails to appear - no pictures or videos, no exact details as to date or location, everything is left a bit vague. The excuse for the lack of proof is that 'in such a horror scene, nobody thinks about taking pictures'.
As far as I know, no ornithologist, birdwatcher or bird photographer has witnessed or documented such an event in this country. All 'reports' come from hunters or farmers, in most cases quoting other people who have seen it.
I am not sure about what is true and what is fantasy in this story and I would like to get more information on this topic.
Does anybody know of any evidence (more than just claims or unsubstantiated reports) that vultures can attack and eat healthy live animals? Have any changes in feeding habits of these scavenger birds been documented?
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks.
Gonçalo