420 - Spring Cleaning with Turkey Vultures
From Natural Connections by Emily Stone
April 2, 2026 · 6 min · Season 1 · Episode 420
About this episode
This episode discusses the role of turkey vultures in nature and their powerful digestive systems that help in cleaning up the environment.
On the inside, turkey vultures' intense stomach acids can kill the microbes that cause botulism, anthrax, cholera, tuberculosis, salmonella, and rabies. How appropriate that the birds' scientific name—Cathartes aura—means "purifying breeze." Their digestive system is so powerful that it even destroys the DNA of their food. As of March 27, I still haven't seen a turkey vulture in the Northwoods, but soon they'll be showing up on the wind and helping us out with a little spring cleaning!
People in this episode
Host: Emily Stone
Topics covered
- turkey vultures
- spring cleaning
- digestive system
- microbes
- Northwoods
Keywords
- turkey vultures
- spring cleaning
- digestive system
- microbes
- Northwoods
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Cathartes aura
Places: Northwoods
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- 422 - The Heron's Plan · April 16, 2026 · 6 min
- 421 - Sunrise Dancers · April 9, 2026 · 6 min
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