Calling someone a vulture isn't normally considered a compliment.
But conservationists say the bird gets a bad rap.
In an attempt to remind the public that the unique talents of the vulture bring harmony to the ecosystem, International Vulture Awareness Day was celebrated at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary on Saturday.
The event drew a large crowd: Some came for the nice weather; others, like Mary Snyder of Bethlehem, a self-professed raptor addict, came for a full day of vulture-related activities.
Snyder and her grandson Noah Wilson, 10, Bethlehem, made their way to the trails for vulture spotting.
"You're a birdaholic," Noah said to his grandmother.
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. there were events for children such as vulture counting at the lookouts, learning about vulture research techniques and a live vulture demonstration.
During the demonstration by Red Creek Wildlife Center, children and adults alike sat awed by Hannibal, an Eastern turkey vulture brought and presented by the wildlife center, which is near Schuylkill Haven.
Jim Dougherty of East Greenville, Montgomery County, brought his granddaughter, Keira Sikora, 6, also of East Greenville, to the sanctuary for the first time.
"We've always wanted to come up and see what's up here," he said.
Keira, undaunted by the ugly bird, knew her vulture facts.
"They eat dead things," she said.
And that's one of the best things about vultures, Morrie Katz, director of development for Red Creek Wildlife Center, said as Hannibal perched on his arm.
"They are really helpful animals," he lectured to the crowd at the amphitheater. "They're nature's cleanup crew."
He explained that vultures devour carrion, so that it isn't left lying around to rot, and they don't produce much waste because of the strong digestive acid in their stomachs. Their ability to efficiently remove waste helps control populations of feral dogs, coyotes and jackals, which reduces the risk of rabies.
While he talked, Hannibal mugged for the cameras, spreading out his wings.
International Vulture Awareness Day was launched two years ago to draw attention to the sudden drop in the tens of millions of vultures in south Asia and India. Hawk Mountain launched its own studies of North and South American vultures in 2007 to build baseline data on the winged scavengers.
Hannibal
