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September is International Vulture Awareness Month. We’re in the middle of Charleston Restaurant Week. Slam those together and you get turkey vultures dining in a “Vulture Restaurant” at The Center for Birds of Prey.
 | Lowcountry Biz Boil September is International Vulture Awareness Month. We’re in the middle of Charleston Restaurant Week. Slam those together and you get turkey vultures dining in a “Vulture Restaurant” at The Center for Birds of Prey… and other business briefs, news items and interesting asides from the Business Journal staff. To submit an item, idea or complaint, click here. |
Why do we like vultures so much? Yes, they rid the world of dead, rotting meat, keeping roadways, sidewalks and woodland trails carrion-free. But the thing we like about them the most is what makes fifth graders giggle when visiting the The Center for Birds of Prey in Awendaw.
They poop on their feet to keep themselves healthy.
No, we’re not kidding. Think about it: When you’re walking around maggot-infested dead stuff and trying to find a juicy morsel to sluice down your gullet, you can’t be picky about where you step.
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But life can also use a helping hand from time-to-time, and poop isn’t always enough to keep your local vulture culture safe.
The Center for Birds of Prey has opened a “Vulture Restaurant,” so our favorite carrion indulgers can dine in a safe and completely watchable place every Saturday in September. The good news for these birds of prey also means you get a close encounter at the bird buffet. (hmmmm… poetry.)
The center recycles leftover food for the “restaurant,” letting guests watch black vultures and turkey vultures feeding.
“The vulture restaurant gives the birds a safe place to dine, the public an opportunity to observe natural interactions between scavengers and provides rehabilitated vultures with a social group to join following time in captivity,” the center said in a news release, making a strained connection between this and Charleston Restaurant Week.
The best time to watch the vultures being served is Saturday mornings, but the birds are present all day (along with the occasional bald eagle), and you’ll see a lot of other cool feathered friends at The Center for Birds of Prey.
If you’re an adult, admission to the center costs $12. Those 6 to 18 years old get in for $10, and those younger than 6 get in for free. Even if you don’t want to watch vultures do their thing, admission includes a guided tour and flight demonstrations.
We’re not encouraging any connections between Charleston Restaurant Week and this particular venue, but please note: The “Vulture Restaurant” does not serve people food … at least not in any form that most people would want.
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We’re not sure this particular vulture would care that it’s restaurant week, but if there’s food to be had, it can’t be bad if you’re a scavenger, right? (Photo/The Center for Birds of Prey)