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It’s easy to make the mistake of thinking that scavenging is an easy way to source your food. After all, it saves you from having to catch it yourself. But as we see here, scavenging also has its problem. This footage was captured in Yellowstone National Park during the winter months. A pack of wolves have made a kill and eaten what they want from the carcass so now the scavengers can move in. At first, the scene is dominated by several bald eagles and disagreements are already arising.
Bald eagles can spot carcasses from miles away and many of them have congregated around this one. The birds are attacking each other, rolling on the ground with their huge wings flapping. The largest and strongest birds will get the first go at the meat. But another scavenger is on the way!
A coyote arrives on the scene. This species uses a different method to find carcasses. They shadow the wolves and wait for the kill to happen and for the pack to move on. Then, they move in to polish off what the larger carnivores have left. With a snarl, the coyote chases off the huge bird. It then sets about tearing chunks of meat from the carcass.
Scavenging is not the most glamorous spot to hold in the ecosystem but is essential, nevertheless. They are the ‘refuse removal team’ of the animal world and get rid of things that many of us don’t want to go near! Coyotes don’t just scavenge, they also catch rabbits, mice and deer. Both bald eagles and coyotes are well known for gathering around wolf kills.
There are plenty of other well-known scavenger species (including bears, sharks and crabs) but the vulture is perhaps the most well-known. Unlike the bald eagle which also catches its own fish and small mammals, the vulture feeds exclusively on the decaying flesh of dead animals – this is called carrion. As with the eagle, they also have excellent eyesight so they can spot a potential meal from high up in the sky but they also have a great sense of smell so they can detect rotting flesh from quite a distance. Vultures are able to eat older carcasses than most animals because they have very strong stomach acid that kills off bacteria. Research also suggests that they have special bacteria on their skin and in their gut that protects them from disease.
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
