In many cultures, the vulture symbolizes a guardian or messenger between life and death, the physical world, and the spirit world. They have magical powers and are even seen as Gods. It is a contradictory symbol of darkness, mystery, divine power, and great wisdom at the same time. ( 1)
Money and Good Luck – Dreaming of a vulture doesn’t mean that all hope is lost. In fact, it might be a sign of good luck in some contexts. For example, they say that seeing a dead vulture could mean that your finances are about to improve.
The black vulture is a symbol of death and rebirth because it is often found around recently deceased animals. In many cultures, the bird is seen as a guide for the soul on its journey to the afterlife. The bird is also associated with strength, power, and determination.
A group of vultures is called a committee, venue, or volt. In flight, a flock of vultures is a kettle, and when the birds are feeding together at a carcass, the group is called a wake. When threatened, vultures vomit to lighten their body weight, so they can escape more easily into flight.
Vulture. The vulture was the symbol of Upper Egypt. Pharaohs wore the uraeus (cobra) and the head of a vulture on their foreheads as symbols of royal protection. The goddess Nekhbet was also portrayed as a vulture.
What is another word for vulture?
bloodsucker | buzzard |
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harpy | kite |
predator | shark |
vampire | wolf |
wolf in sheep’s clothing | swindler |
In Hindu mythology, a vulture is said to be the carrier of God Sani (Saturn). In some religion vultures are also considered deities and in some they belong to deities and god while in some communities they are believed to be “untouchable”.
For Zeus’ sacred eagle, an instrument of divine and righteous punishment, he substitutes a vulture, symbolic of death and decay.
These birds also represent duality – our spiritual nature and our body, heaven and earth, stagnation and action. In Mexico, the Mayan felt that Vulture could consume death and convert that energy into life. This gave them the symbolic value of transformation.
They find their food, typically called “carrion,” using their keen eyes and sense of smell, often flying low enough to detect the beginnings of the decaying process in dead animals.
Vultures are harmless, despite the chilling role they play in stories and myths. They dine mostly on dead animals and have no incentive to attack humans. In fact, vultures are beneficial for people because they are extremely efficient at removing human and animal waste from our towns, villages and roads.
If you have ever wondered, “why are vultures hanging around my house?” check your surroundings for any dead animal carcasses. Turkey vultures are carrion eaters. They look for freshly killed animals–usually, leftovers from another predator–and have a feast.
Even at a distance, Bald Eagles can be distinguished from vultures based on shape, flight patterns, and plumage: 1. Bald Eagles soar with their wings held flat/horizontally, unlike Turkey Vultures and Black Vulture (to a lesser degree) that soar with their wings raised in a V-shape (dihedral).
When you see a flock of vultures in flight, you’re witnessing a kettle of vultures. When you see vultures at rest in a tree or on a fence post, that’s a committee of vultures. And since vultures feed mainly on dead animals, when you see a group feeding, you’re in the presence of a wake of vultures.
Turkey vultures have an extraordinary sense of smell. They have been known to be able to smell carrion from over a mile away, which is very unique in the bird world.
Nekhbet, in Egyptian religion, vulture goddess who was the protector of Upper Egypt and especially its rulers.
Vultures, with their extensive wingspan, were viewed as all-embracing protectors; in other words, mothers who give sheltering protection to children. Vultures were also seen as fierce defenders of their young.
disapproving : a person who tries to take advantage of someone who is in a very bad situation. As soon as they learned of his arrest, the media vultures started circling.
Golden Eagle
Golden Eagles raise their wings slightly in flight similar to a Turkey Vulture, but they are larger and do not teeter or wobble as they soar like vultures do.
Acanthis (mythology)
colspan=“2”>Acanthis |
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colspan=“2”>Transformed into a bird |
colspan=“2”>Personal information |
Parents |
Siblings |
And similar to the wise and joyful companion on the tree, birds are also associated with spiritual bliss, freedom, insight, and wholesomeness. While one must be careful to refrain from egregious generalizations, Hindu culture provides ample instances of such avian symbolism.
Buzzards raise their body temperature in the morning by stretching their wings and basking in the sunlight. If you see buzzards on your roof in this posture, they’ve simply decided that your roof is a warm place to rest. The presence of vultures on your roof also means there’s probably a food source nearby.
Unlike its red-headed cousin the turkey vulture, which feeds only on the carcasses of dead animals, black vultures are an aggressive bird that will, on occasion, kill other animals for food.
In Jacques Lipchitz’s version, however, Prometheus literally takes matters into his own hands. The massive bronze presents the Titan broken free of his chains, strangling the bird that has tormented him. The sculpture is directly symbolic, expressing the ongoing struggle between good and evil, humanity and intolerance.