What Is a Group of Vultures Called, and What Does It Say About Their Behavior?

Many people are curious about the collective nouns used for groups of animals. For example, calling a group of crows a “murder” or a group of otters a “romp” can reveal something interesting about the animals themselves. Although this is not always true, learning the collective noun for a group of animals can sometimes provide insight into their behaviors. Vultures have long been associated with death, but since “murder” is already taken, what is a group of vultures called? Read on to learn the collective noun for a group of vultures and discover what this name says about their behavior.

The Collective Nouns for Vultures

Collective nouns have been in usage since at least 1486. The Book of Saint Albans, a guide for medieval gentlemen, included a list of 165 collective nouns. Many of the names are derived from medieval hunting tradition, and often incorporate some aspect of the animal’s behavior. A gathering of vultures can be called a “wake,” “kettle,” “committee,” “venue,” or “volt.” The term “flock” is also used for groups of vultures, as it is for any bird species. However, some of these names are specific to certain vulture behaviors. Let’s take an in-depth look at the most common collective nouns for vultures and their origins.

Kettle

When vultures fly as a group, they are called a “kettle.” As the sun heats the earth’s surface, vultures soar in circular, spiral formations on the rising columns of warm air, called thermals. The term “kettle” is believed to have originated from the resemblance of their circling behaviors to the bubbling motion of boiling water in a kettle.

Wake

A “wake” of vultures is used when the birds gather to feed on a carcass. No doubt the term is a reference to a funeral wake. Traditionally, a wake was a gathering held before a funeral where family and friends kept watch over the body of the dead. The way vultures surround a carcass resembles a vigil for the dead.

Committee, Venue, and Volt

Lesser-used references to a group of vultures are the nouns “committee,” “venue,” and “volt.” Vultures are called a “committee” when they are standing or perched together. Such a group appears serious and imposing, much like a committee of people gathered for a formal meeting. “Venue” and “volt” are also typically used in the same context, but their exact origins are unclear.

Why Do Vultures Gather?

As their collective nouns indicate, vultures tend to be social. They frequently roost communally, forage as a group, feed together, and even migrate together in some cases. However, with 23 vulture species, there are some behavioral differences among them.

White-backed vultures roost together in small groups of around 10, while lammergeier vultures live in groups of up to 25 individuals. Turkey vultures tend to forage alone or in small groups, but they roost in large numbers and migrate in flocks that can exceed 10,000 birds. Rüppell’s griffons are highly social and live in colonies of thousands of individuals. Black vultures are known to be strongly social, living in large flocks with long-term family ties. Although Andean condors forage alone or in pairs, they are communal roosters, gathering on cliff ledges in groups of over 100.

Some vulture species are more solitary. White-headed vultures, lappet-faced vultures, cinereous vultures, bearded vultures, and greater yellow-headed vultures are generally seen alone or in pairs, although they may form small groups during feeding. King vultures are also primarily solitary, found in small family groups. However, king vultures and yellow-headed vultures can sometimes be found together at kill sites. Yellow-headed vultures often find food more quickly than other vultures due to their strong sense of smell. However, they aren’t strong enough to cut open the tough hide of larger kills. King vultures follow yellow-headed vultures to the site and use their strong beaks to open the carcass. The king vulture eats first, and then the yellow-headed vultures feed on the remains.