Spooky Creatures and the Myths that Surround Them

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WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

Today’s not-so-scary Halloween blog is all about creatures we may falsely perceive as dangerous, unpredictable, or even ugly. They are the creatures we tend to look at in a negative fashion, especially those that we have been conditioned to fear through experiences or commonly shared misinformation and myths. On the day before Halloween, with those thoughts in mind, here’s a light and lively look at these creatures and some of the myths associated with them. I think you’ll soon find that they’re not-so-spooky after all.

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Turkey Vultures: Sanitation Sky Patrol of Oakland County

WILDER SIDE OF OAKLAND COUNTY

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They nest in the base of hollow trees, old silos, abandoned buildings and other cavities, hidden away from human activity. If disturbed, they protect themselves by throwing up messy slurry of partially digested food. They consume dead, decomposing things and their eating habits are best described with two words: very messy. Despite their foul eating habits, Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) are true masters of the sky when it comes to riding the thermals and graceful soaring. “Poetry in Motion” is the perfect description of their flight.

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