Vultures only eat the bodies of dead animals.
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Vultures have many biological adaptations that make them well-suited to being scavengers. Most have excellent eyesight and a strong sense of smell. They use these keen senses to locate rotting carrion while they are soaring high over land. Unlike raptors, or birds that hunt, vultures have weak talons and beaks. Raptors use sharp talons and beaks to kill, while vultures do not need to overpower or secure their prey. Many vultures are also bald, meaning they have no feathers on their head. This prevents bits of carrion, which can carry toxic bacteria, from sticking to feathers and infecting the bird.
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Many animals will scavenge if they have the chance, even though carrion is not their preferred food source. Foxes, jackals and coyotes are more likely to eat carrion when they cannot find other food, like in the winter for example.
