They may not be actual turkeys, but they’d love to help out with any Thanksgiving feast leftovers... Happy Thanksgiving from Big Bend National Park! Like many of us drifting towards the kitchen following the smell of Thanksgiving dinner, turkey vultures also find their meals by scent—though the smell of a turkey vulture’s food of choice—fresh carrion-- might not be particularly appetizing to us on a dinner table. Turkey vultures have strong stomachs with a powerful digestive acid that breaks down food most other animals cannot eat—something some of us may be jealous of this Thanksgiving if the green bean casserole turns out badly... Turkey vultures operate as nature’s clean-up crew, feasting on dead carcasses, which reduces or eliminates diseases and bacteria that the rotting carcass may hold—which could be helpful for those of us trying to work through days’ worth of Thanksgiving leftovers. If your stomach is still strong enough after a visit from the turkey vultures of Big Bend, then we hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving. Happy feasting! 🦃 📷NPS/C.Hoyt #bigbendnationalpark #bigbend #thanksgiving