A face only a mother could love… Can you think of a worse looking animal?
I don’t even think a platypus is that unattractive. Did you know when the first platypus was brought to Britain, researchers thought it was a hoax?
They thought a prankster had sewed a few different animals together to make one. To me, the vultures look like they were made by leftover parts that don’t fit just right. That tiny head does not fit that huge body.
The platypus has a bill and webbed feet like a duck, a beaver tail and a shiny, furry body. The males are venomous too. But they are kinda cute. I have never been to Tasmania, so no platypus pictures to show, but I would gladly send them a few of our vultures in exchange.
On GWGT, I get searches for an “ugly black bird” and it always ends up on a grackle post. I wonder if they had these vultures in mind?
Nature and Wildlife Pics 
Vultures are my favorite birds… i think they are really beutiful…. by the way, I think that the only ugly animal are we, humans, particularly newborn babies.
They’re look is appropriate to their environmental function, like avian undertakers.
I agree about the …leftovers! It also looks like it’s wearing a Venetian mask! 🙂
I have to say, they look rather majestic in flight.
Wow! Interesting enough I may agree partially with that other reader that we humans are the ugly ones especially in taking care of our precious wildlife that depend on us.
How interesting Donna! They certainly don’t look socially acceptable or the life of the party, but they have their place in the scheme of it all.
ha! it’s amazing how an ugly black bird can be so graceful in flight. the black and turkey vultures both ‘decorate” the area near the riverhouse. in the mornings they’re perched in different spots as they practice their yoga positions.. later in the day they soar with the frigates. i once asked a birding friend what his favorite bird was, and he said ‘vultures, ‘ because of their efficiency in flight…
i think the vultures here are just like yours! https://playamart.wordpress.com/2014/04/25/awakenings-on-the-river/
i accidentally ‘unclicked’ the following button instead of the ‘like.’ now that i’ve ‘followed’ again, it says that new posts will appear in my reader, but i hope they continue to appear in my inbox…
Nope not the prettiest, but beautiful in flight. thanks for the close-ups.
Despite their appearance and diet, vultures are actually quite clean birds and intelligent as well.
But… not much in the looks department.
Such a cool bird. Beautiful in flight.
Now they can get more than one bird in their search….they may be ugly but I find them majestic…we have loads of them flying around here.
Still it has an odd appeal for me. Strange.
I don’t think they’re entirely ugly, but I don’t think I want to hang out with them.
We get them circling the yard in the thermals every now and then. It’s funny because I always have to stop and wonder if maybe I’ve been out working in the garden too long, and might smell a little too “ripe”.