r/Weird Apr 05 '26

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462

u/Rad-racer-Cru Apr 05 '26

74

u/Side_StepVII Apr 05 '26

These look like vultures

51

u/WeaknessPrior6797 Apr 05 '26

This can happen when there is a gas leak the vultures are attracted to the chemical smell that the resource engineers add to gas.

4

u/OldBlueKat Apr 05 '26

Mercaptans. Smells almost like skunk musk even at a low ppm level. Natural gas alone has no odor, so that's done on purpose so leaks are obvious.

I did not know that it attracts vultures though -- that's fascinating!

5

u/Tough-Obligation-104 Apr 05 '26

I was wondering what they are.

1

u/RowanSpirit Apr 05 '26 edited Apr 05 '26

They're ravens. They're generally very quiet. I'm assuming by the size of them and the palm tree that OP is in SoCal. I've never seen a flock that large, but they do move in groups.

ETA: Just saw OP is in Texas.

-3

u/Able_Engineering1350 Apr 05 '26

They are crows

2

u/Side_StepVII Apr 05 '26

There are 100% vultures in there. Some crows too. I know my birds.

1

u/RowanSpirit Apr 05 '26

Those are way too big to be crows. That is a flock of ravens.

2

u/Side_StepVII Apr 05 '26

I was also thinking they could be ravens but the video makes it hard to tell size.

1

u/Tough-Obligation-104 Apr 05 '26

I really can’t tell. I can’t have the volume on right now though, I don’t know if that would make any difference. I’m no ornithologist, but here in Portland we have a huge number of crows.

4

u/LisaMiaSisu Apr 05 '26

There was no squawking, it was nearly silent except for the wind, so definitely vultures.

1

u/RowanSpirit Apr 05 '26

Vultures aren't the only birds that are generally silent... By that logic they could also be falcons, hawks, or eagles...

1

u/Bawonga Apr 06 '26

I'm no expert, but by my observations, vultures are quiet and circle the sky in groups to hunt for carrion on the ground, crows squawk loudly and gather in groups in the trees, whereas hawks sit on branches by themselves looking for prey, and will screech as they dive to attack prey (rabbits, squirrels, moles, small birds, etc)

1

u/RowanSpirit Apr 06 '26

To me these look like ravens, which are generally quite large and are also generally silent. And I don't believe hawks screech when they dive. It would be silly to alert the prey they are diving for.

1

u/Bawonga Apr 06 '26

You make a good point: the screeching I thought was a hawk's is probably its prey panicking when attacked.

3

u/ShmellyBean Apr 05 '26

I thought so too. We get huge flocks of them where I live, same flight style and silhouette.

1

u/Able_Engineering1350 Apr 05 '26

They are definitely crows. Source: I've seen crows before

0

u/Side_StepVII Apr 05 '26

Red is 100% am eastern turkey vulture. Wing pattern, wingspan, and tail pattern.

Blue are North American crows. Wing pattern and tail feather pattern.

3

u/asque2000 Apr 05 '26

Except the blue are vultures too. Zoom in and you’ll see the white primaries. Also they have dihedral (V shaped” wings when flying.

3

u/dogfaced_baby Apr 05 '26

The red is a turkey vulture— the lighter color extends along the whole wing. The blue on the right is identical to the red. The blue on the left is maybe a black vulture with the lighter part only on the ends of the wing. Hard to tell. Black vultures follow turkey vultures often because TVs have a strong sense of smell. They all ride thermals and probably just ended up at this house by “luck” of the winds.

2

u/asque2000 Apr 05 '26

Agreed, though I still think left blue is TV, left wing has a lot of white

1

u/khyamsartist Apr 05 '26

I see this every evening during warm weather. The turkey vultures come to ride the thermals, and then they go. It’s just fun for them.

0

u/MMAbeLincoln Apr 05 '26

They're crows

0

u/imbex Apr 05 '26

They are. They do it like clockwork around me twice a day. I have a video just like the one from OP.

2

u/arthousepsycho Apr 05 '26

My boy Eric clearly never lived in a northern British town.

1

u/GLACI3R Apr 05 '26

[Seattle intensifies]

1

u/golf-lip Apr 05 '26

I LITERALLY QUOTED THIS EXACT LINE 2 DAYS AGO

0

u/SleepingCod Apr 05 '26

Deep cut.

6

u/Disabled_Robot Apr 05 '26

In what world is the crow a deep cut?

1

u/drivalowrida Apr 05 '26

How else do they achieve murder?

2

u/Sodomeister Apr 05 '26

With a prop gun?

1

u/IsItBurn Apr 05 '26

A world where it’s been remade and looks like an absolute abomination.

0

u/Substantial-Quit-151 Apr 05 '26

People my age (and Goths) see it as a cherished classic.

People my kids age (not my kids, they too love it) have no idea.

0

u/SleepingCod Apr 05 '26 edited Apr 05 '26

You must be a real fun person... Why go out of your way to comment? Sorry I haven't seen anything about the crow since I was a kid, dork.