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Turkey Vulture Tongue Anatomy Was Consistent With Rapid Carrion Handling

Turkey vulture feeding on a dead gull at Morro Rock, California
Research · Anatomy & morphology

A detailed anatomical study of the tongue and glottis of the turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) found a short, non-protrusible and concave tongue with backward-directed mechanical papillae and extensive mucus-producing salivary glands. The authors interpret this combination as suited to retaining soft carrion and moving it rapidly toward the throat.

The study examined four adult birds — three males and one female — obtained from Belém International Airport in Pará, Brazil. Researchers studied the tongue and surrounding structures through gross anatomy, light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.

Backward-pointing papillae formed a mechanical guide for food

The tongue averaged about 2.3 cm long and could not extend beyond the bill. It was firmly supported by an articulated Y-shaped hyobranchial apparatus, the set of bones that supports and moves the tongue in birds.

Mechanical papillae lined the sides of the tongue. Near the tip they were pointed and directed inward and backward, while farther toward the root they became rounder. These papillae are physical projections rather than taste structures. The authors interpret their orientation as helping prevent soft food from slipping forward and guiding it toward the back of the mouth during swallowing.

The tongue also contained cartilage, spongy bone, blood vessels, nerves and muscle bundles running in several directions. Together these structures provide support and allow controlled movement even though the tongue itself has limited protrusion.

Mucus-producing glands were concentrated toward the rear

Numerous mucus-producing salivary glands occurred in the body and especially the root of the tongue, as well as around the glottis and laryngeal mound. The glottis is the opening into the larynx and respiratory tract at the back of the mouth.

Histochemical staining showed that the glands produced mucus, and scanning electron microscopy revealed many duct openings on the tongue root and around the glottis. Mucus can lubricate food and reduce friction as soft tissue is moved toward the throat.

No taste buds were observed in the tissue sections examined. This finding does not by itself demonstrate that turkey vultures have no gustatory capacity anywhere in the oral cavity. The authors nevertheless suggest that mechanical handling, smell, food availability and competition may be more important to feeding than elaborate tongue-based taste structures.

Rapid carrion handling is a functional interpretation of the anatomy

The study did not measure swallowing speed or experimentally compare feeding performance with other scavengers. Its main evidence is anatomical. The authors propose that the concave tongue, caudally directed papillae, strong support and abundant salivary secretion together form a system well suited to moving soft carrion quickly toward the oesophagus.

They further suggest that rapid processing of accessible tissue could reduce the time a turkey vulture must remain at a carcass when competing with larger or more aggressive scavengers. That ecological benefit is a morphofunctional interpretation of the observed structures rather than a directly measured behavioural effect.

Sources and image credit

  1. de Almeida, J. C. F., Ferreira, M. A. S., Giese, E. G., da Silva, A. S. L., de Lima, A. R., & Branco, É. (2026). Tongue and Glottis Morphology of Cathartes aura and the Secret of Its Functional Adaptation. Acta Zoologica. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/azo.70030Primary open-access anatomical study of four adult turkey vultures from Belém, Brazil, examined macroscopically and with light and scanning electron microscopy.

Image: Kevin Cole / Wikimedia Commons — turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) feeding on a dead Western Gull at Morro Rock, California, USA, 21 September 2007. Illustrative photograph, not from the anatomy study. CC BY 2.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ · CC BY 2.0 · Source

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