Do vultures really have no butt hole?

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In summary: They don't specify what kind of vulture, which makes it sound even more wrong."This is a common misconception, as there are many different types of vultures with different digestive systems. The turkey vulture has few natural predators. Its primary form of defense is vomiting. The birds do not "projectile vomit," as many would claim. They simply cough up a lump of semi-digested meat. This foul smelling substance deters most creatures intent on raiding a vulture nest. It will also sting if the offending animal is close enough to get the vomit in its face or eyes.
  • #1
leroyjenkens
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A few people recently have told me that vultures have no butt hole. They said they regurgitate everything they eat. I don't know why I keep hearing people say this. They don't specify what kind of vulture, which makes it sound even more wrong. I'm not the type of person to flat out say somebody is wrong unless I know for sure that they're wrong.
I looked it up online and I can't find anything. It's kind of an obscure thing to look for, so I'm not surprised I didn't find anything. But if they didn't have a butt hole, they'd be an anomaly and it would be pretty easy to find something saying they don't.
So they do have a butt hole, right?
 
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The word "gullible" is not in the dictionary. It's true!
 
  • #3


I tried to make it clear I did not believe them. But when I haven't seen a vulture's butt, I can't say for sure that they have one. Does it break a biological rule for an animal not to have one?
 
  • #4


leroyjenkens said:
I tried to make it clear I did not believe them. But when I haven't seen a vulture's butt, I can't say for sure that they have one.
Even worms have an alimentary system so that they can consume food, absorb vital nutrients and excrete waste. Should vultures get a free pass?
 
  • #5


turbo-1 said:
Even worms have an alimentary system so that they can consume food, absorb vital nutrients and excrete waste. Should vultures get a free pass?
Should they? I have no preference for how vultures excrete waste. I understand that they must, and I'm sure they do it just like everything else, I just wanted to make sure they do. Could they regurgitate their waste? I don't know. That's why I asked.
 
  • #6


leroyjenkens said:
A few people recently have told me that vultures have no butt hole. They said they regurgitate everything they eat. I don't know why I keep hearing people say this. They don't specify what kind of vulture, which makes it sound even more wrong. I'm not the type of person to flat out say somebody is wrong unless I know for sure that they're wrong.
I looked it up online and I can't find anything. It's kind of an obscure thing to look for, so I'm not surprised I didn't find anything. But if they didn't have a butt hole, they'd be an anomaly and it would be pretty easy to find something saying they don't.
So they do have a butt hole, right?

Perhaps some people believe this because vultures vomit as a defense mechanism.

The turkey vulture has few natural predators. Its primary form of defense is vomiting. The birds do not "projectile vomit," as many would claim. They simply cough up a lump of semi-digested meat. This foul smelling substance deters most creatures intent on raiding a vulture nest. It will also sting if the offending animal is close enough to get the vomit in its face or eyes.

http://vulturesociety.homestead.com/TVFacts.html#anchor_13531"
 
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  • #7


leroyjenkens said:
A few people recently have told me that vultures have no butt hole. They said they regurgitate everything they eat. I don't know why I keep hearing people say this. They don't specify what kind of vulture, which makes it sound even more wrong. I'm not the type of person to flat out say somebody is wrong unless I know for sure that they're wrong.
I looked it up online and I can't find anything. It's kind of an obscure thing to look for, so I'm not surprised I didn't find anything. But if they didn't have a butt hole, they'd be an anomaly and it would be pretty easy to find something saying they don't.
So they do have a butt hole, right?
All birds poop. So do mammals, amphibians, fish and reptiles.

Here's an example of pigeon viscera - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PigeonAnatomy.png
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crop_(anatomy [Broken])

The Digestive Tract of the Whiteback Griffon Vulture and Its Role in Disease Transmission Among Wild Ungulates
http://www.jwildlifedis.org/cgi/reprint/11/3/306.pdf [Broken]
Unfortunately there is no illustration, but it is descriptive.
 
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leroyjenkens said:
A few people recently have told me that vultures have no butt hole.

I feel like there is some kind of brain/butt hole switch involved, I am just not sure about details.

That said there are animals that don't have butt holes at all - cnidaria.
 
  • #9


In birds its called a cloaca, or vent. Its not correct to call it a anus or butt, in birds its serves more then one purpose. So your friend is correct, but not in the way he thinks he is.
Some birds do regurgitate indigestible matter, these are called pellets.
 
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  • #10


Thanks for the info, guys.
In birds its called a cloaca, or vent. Its not correct to call it a anus or butt, in birds its serves more then one purpose. So your friend is correct, but not in the way he thinks he is.
One of them said that he and his wife heard it, didn't believe it, so they checked it online and found it to be true. I don't know what they found, but I couldn't find it. They probably found a forum post with someone "confirming" it. Some people think that finding one other person who believes the same thing they do qualifies as validation.
 
  • #11


A friend lives adjacent to open land in Andalucia, Spain. Recently she has found strange, tennis ball sized, mushroom shaped objects on the open ground. These objects appear to have gravel on top and contain blood and bone. Could they be pellets from the Griffon vultures, which abound in these parts?
 
  • #12


Eeny this thread is over a year old and about a completely different topic. If you are interested in an answer for your question feel free to start a new thread for just that.
 

1. Why do vultures not have a butt hole?

Vultures do not have a butt hole because they have a unique digestive system that allows them to consume and digest carrion (dead animals) that may contain harmful bacteria and toxins. Their digestive system is adapted to quickly break down and eliminate all waste, eliminating the need for a separate opening.

2. How do vultures eliminate waste without a butt hole?

Vultures eliminate waste through a process called "urohydrosis", where they excrete uric acid (the white substance found in their droppings) along with their feces. The uric acid acts as a disinfectant, killing any harmful bacteria and neutralizing toxins.

3. Is it harmful for vultures to not have a butt hole?

No, it is not harmful for vultures to not have a butt hole. Their unique digestive system is well adapted to their scavenging lifestyle and allows for efficient waste elimination. It is a natural and beneficial adaptation for their survival.

4. Do all birds lack a butt hole?

No, not all birds lack a butt hole. Some birds, like vultures, have a cloaca, which is a single opening for both waste elimination and reproduction. However, many bird species do have a separate opening for waste elimination.

5. Can vultures get constipated without a butt hole?

No, vultures cannot get constipated without a butt hole. Their digestive system is designed to quickly process and eliminate waste, so constipation is not a concern for them. In fact, their unique adaptation allows them to consume and digest food that may be too toxic for other animals to eat.

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