The image of a vulture circling us from above is something none of us want to see. In general, this probably means we are about to die. The vulture is probably the last thing we want to see over us at that time.
Let’s be honest, these birds are disgusting scavengers that eat rotten and putrid meat. As a line of self-defense, these birds’ projectile vomits up to 10 feet on their predators.
However, people love to see the vulture if it’s tattooed on their body. Is this because these people love disgusting things or is it because the vulture is a symbol of many positive characteristics in the world? We have a feeling that in most cases it’s the latter.
The vulture is an image that has a great deal of symbolism and meaning for the person wearing it. The vulture is a symbol that goes back hundreds of years, and the importance of this bird hasn’t been lost over the years.
In this post we are going to talk about the vulture and the symbolism behind this image. To understand the importance of this scavenger, you must understand some of its background. We hope that by the end of this post you have a better understanding of the vulture and what it means to have a vulture tattoo.
About the Vulture
To get a better idea of what the vulture is, we decided to share some fascinating facts about this bird.
One thing you might not know about is the reason they have their bald heads. It might sound gross, but the bald head is for easy for the vulture to dig inside the carcass of what it’s eating and not get stuff stuck on their head or in their would be feathers. This might be for dead animals, but the truth is, vultures prefer to eat their meat like you or me. They’re stomach acids allow them to eat putrid meat, but they generally get to the meat before it completely spoils.
With the vulture, nothing goes to waste. They will even find use for digested food in their system. As stated before, the vulture can projectile vomit as a defense for predators, but they will also regurgitate their food around their nests because the stench is off putting to predators.
Another thing the vulture does that we think is gross is urinate on themselves. They do this as a way to cool themselves. When states like this, it isn’t that surprising.
As disgusting as we might find this bird, they’re extremely smart and they have an uncanny sense of smell. They used to be used to find gas leaks in cross country lines.
Vulture Tattoo Meaning
The vulture tattoo has many meanings that might be invoked when it’s placed on your body. The watchful eye of this bird symbolize vigilance. The vulture has and amazing eye and sense of smell. These birds are natural hunters and there isn’t an animal in miles that can escape being noticed by the vulture.
Another trait the vulture tattoo symbolizes is intelligence. They are very trainable and are used for many things by humans. The things vultures do to survive and make sure their young survive is impressive so getting a vulture tattoo means you appreciate the wits of this animal.
Caution is another trait the vulture tattoo symbolizes. Vultures must evaluate their situation before going in to eat. They might be food for another animal if they aren’t careful, so they circle the area until they’re sure it is safe to go in for a meal.
As a totem, the vulture symbolizes intelligence even more. Because they are so adaptable to their surroundings, it is common knowledge these animals are smart as a whip.
People born under the totem of the vulture are very analytical. They think about things before they make the leap, so you won’t see these people jumping into any situation without analyzing everything first.
Vulture Tattoo Variations
When getting your vulture tattoo, you can pick from many different species of vulture. The vulture can be depicted in different ways as well. Depending on how the image is set up will determine if there is any additional meaning.
Turkey Vulture Tattoo
The turkey vulture tattoo represents the vulture we all know so well. It’s the species of this animal that we all picture picking at the bones of a carcass. This is the image of the bald vulture with red skin. Along with representing intelligence, it also represents adaptability. This is a trait most of us aspire to have and in the meantime, we can look to the turkey vulture tattoo for inspiration.
Black Vulture Tattoo
The black vulture tattoo is another popular version of this tattoo. The black vulture has a bald white head while the rest of the body is black. This bigger version of the vulture will bully any other vultures that are close to the carcass they want to eat. It is also a common image when we think about vultures circling overhead.
Hovering Vulture Tattoo
The hovering vulture tattoo is symbolic of death. This image goes back years but in summary, when a vulture circles one area for any amount of time, it can safely be assumed there is something dead or dying below and the vulture is waiting it out. When the coast is clear, they will make their way down but until that time they will circle and wait. The idea of impending doom isn’t a pleasant one, but the hovering vulture tattoo symbolizes that. It could be a positive or negative meaning depending on what is dying. This could represent a time in your life passing on or something with a darker meaning. If you aren’t sure, ask the person with this tattoo.
If you need help finding an artist that give you that vulture tattoo you have been waiting for, let us know. The team at Tattoo SEO has a talented team trained in matching you with the perfect artist for the work you want.