Horaltic Pose
When a turkey vulture spreads its wings in the "horaltic pose," it is primarily to warm its body on cold mornings, to dry its feathers after rain or a messy meal, and to expose feathers to sunlight to help control parasites like lice. Turkey vultures lower their body temperature at night to conserve energy and need to warm up to fly again, with the spread wings maximizing solar energy absorption.
Horaltic Pose
When a turkey vulture spreads its wings in the "horaltic pose," it is primarily to warm its body on cold mornings, to dry its feathers after rain or a messy meal, and to expose feathers to sunlight to help control parasites like lice. Turkey vultures lower their body temperature at night to conserve energy and need to warm up to fly again, with the spread wings maximizing solar energy absorption.