Vultures are huge birds known for feeding on the rotting, dead carcasses of animals. This doesn't sound very appetizing to most of us, and indeed most animals would become quite ill if they ate what vultures eat. However, vultures have many unique adaptations that allow them to thrive on their rotting diets, teeming with bacteria, maggots, and other gross by-products of the decaying corpse. Despite their unappealing meal choices, vultures are a vital part of keeping their ecosystems healthy. Readers will be fascinated by these giant birds.