{"id":36376,"date":"2016-01-05T06:24:21","date_gmt":"2016-01-05T13:24:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/?p=36376"},"modified":"2016-01-05T06:59:03","modified_gmt":"2016-01-05T13:59:03","slug":"in-defense-of-scavengers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/05\/in-defense-of-scavengers\/","title":{"rendered":"In Defense Of Scavengers"},"content":{"rendered":"

The\u00a0scavenging lifestyle often gets a bad rap, undeservedly so in my opinion. I believe it’s at least partly because the thought of eating dead, often rotting animals that were not originally killed (and are often stolen)\u00a0by the consumer seems distasteful\u00a0and somehow less “honorable” than the strict carnivore that kills and eats its own fresh\u00a0prey.<\/p>\n

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\"bald1\/1000, f\/8, ISO 500, Canon 40D, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS\u00a0USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n

The majestic Bald Eagle, a\u00a0species known for extensive scavenging,\u00a0was chosen as\u00a0the US National Emblem in 1782 but not without controversy in choosing the symbol. In later years Ben Franklin (who along with Thomas Jefferson and John Adams\u00a0were assigned the task of choosing an official seal for the new nation) famously wrote to his daughter:<\/p>\n

“For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk (Osprey); and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.<\/em><\/p>\n

With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country…”<\/em><\/p>\n

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The scavenging lifestyle is perhaps more common in nature than\u00a0some realize. Many insects, fish, birds and mammals scavenge extensively – the list would include crabs, lobsters, eels, many sharks and other fish, vultures, opossums, raccoons,\u00a0hyenas, lions, leopards, wolves, coyotes, foxes, bears and\u00a0hyenas.<\/p>\n

Ravens, crows, magpies and gulls are some of the birds\u00a0in my area that often scavenge carcasses.<\/p>\n

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\"black-billed<\/p>\n

1\/2000, f\/8, ISO 400, Canon 7D,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS\u00a0USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n

In my experience people often have highly conflicting views on magpies. They’re much admired by some for their beauty, resourcefulness and intelligence and others despise them for their raucous, aggressive behavior and their scavenging ways. They just seem to be one of those “love’m or hate’m” kind of species. Seen as in the image above they can be very easy to admire but…<\/p>\n

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\"black-billed<\/p>\n

1\/2000, f\/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n

when there’s a mob of them on a carcass fighting for scraps of rotten meat they’re often seen as unappealing and less than honorable. From a distance like this the human observer doesn’t see the gory details very well but…<\/p>\n

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\"black-billed<\/p>\n

1\/2000, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n

when seen up close, as on roadkill, the scene can be quite distasteful to some.<\/p>\n

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