There’s no hurrying good carrion. My husband threw a dead rabbit out into the field a couple of days ago. Today the vultures have been circling.  Every once in a while, a vulture will drop down next to the rabbit and take a look.  Almost always a second vulture lands a short distance away.

The first vulture looks, but doesn’t touch, the rabbit carcass.  If the other vulture makes a move to close in, the first vulture may spread its wings in a protective gesture or fly toward the second vulture to chase it away. Then it goes back to the carcass to take another look. After a bit, both vultures fly away.

A hawk checked out the carcass, too, poked at it, but left it alone. Maybe the rabbit was too far gone to make a good hawk meal. Knowing that vultures like their food good and ripe, I can only assume the rabbit isn’t ‘cured’ to the appropriate level yet. Now that the sun is out and the temperatures are warming up, it probably won’t take long.

Since I have a personal problem with patience, I have to admire these vultures who will wait until their dinner is just rightbefore sitting down to eat.

NOTE: This photo shows vultures on top of a silo catching the morning sun.