Vultures are unique among avian species because the collective noun used to describe them changes depending on their activity and location. This shift in nomenclature highlights the different phases of a vulture’s life, from waiting on the ground to soaring high in the air in search of food.
The Names for Vultures on the Ground
When vultures are not in flight, they are referred to by names that reflect their stillness or resting behavior. A group of vultures gathered on the ground, perhaps perched on a fence post or roosting in a dead tree, is often called a committee or a venue. These names suggest a formal, still gathering, as if the birds are assembled at a specific location.
The most evocative and well-known term for a group of vultures on the ground is a wake, which is used specifically when the birds are feeding on a carcass. This name draws a parallel to the human funeral tradition of a vigil, underscoring the vulture’s association with death. Other less common terms for vultures on the ground include a volt or a litter.
The Names for Vultures in Flight
The collective noun changes when vultures take to the sky and begin their search for food, where they are almost exclusively referred to as a kettle. This term describes the unique, spiraling flight pattern adopted by a group of vultures as they gain altitude. This aerial formation is a deliberate, energy-saving maneuver that utilizes columns of rising warm air called thermals.
Vultures enter a thermal, created when the sun heats the ground, and circle within it to be lifted hundreds or even thousands of feet into the air without needing to flap their wings. When multiple birds ride the same thermal, the swirling, ascending group resembles steam bubbling inside a pot, which is the likely origin of the term “kettle.” Once they reach the top, they glide to the next updraft, covering immense distances while expending minimal energy. A less common, but related, term for this soaring group is a boil.
Vulture Identity and Ecological Importance
The unique collective nouns reflect the vulture’s specialized role as an obligate scavenger, eliminating dead animal matter across the landscape. Vultures are broadly divided into two groups: Old World vultures, found in Africa, Europe, and Asia, and New World vultures, which inhabit the Americas. These groups are not closely related; their similarities result from convergent evolution to fill the same ecological niche.
Vultures can consume decayed flesh without becoming ill due to an exceptionally corrosive digestive system. Vulture stomach acid has a pH as low as 1.0, which allows them to safely neutralize deadly pathogens that would be lethal to other scavengers.
New World vultures like the Turkey Vulture have a highly developed sense of smell, capable of detecting the gas ethyl mercaptan emitted by decaying flesh from over a mile away. Conversely, Old World species rely more on keen eyesight. This specialized biology makes them nature’s most efficient cleanup crew, preventing the spread of diseases and helping to maintain a healthy ecosystem.