But as most of us now know, turkey vultures have gotten a bad rap. The truth is, those naked heads relieved of adornment are extremely hygienic—gory stuff just doesn’t stick. And it’s a lie that vultures particularly relish a ripe, rotting mess. They actually prefer fresher carrion. As such, they perform a vital, and vastly underrated, service to the environment: the quick, competent cleanup and recycling of dead creatures.
