Vultures often live in open country where herds of large mammals, such as cattle, can be found. They fly in slow circles, searching the ground for dead, sick, or injured animals. They also watch for running packs of jackals or hyenas, who often lead them to food. When food has been spotted, the vulture swoops down to the ground, and other circling vultures follow. Both Old World and New World vultures have heads and necks that are almost bare, covered only by a thin layer of down.
Many vultures have a thick ruff of feathers around their neck.
These adaptations allow the vulture to place its head deep inside carcasses without soiling its plumage. The digestive enzymes of the vulture allow it to survive on decaying meat that would be toxic to other animals. Although the modern view of vultures is often one of disgust and comtempt, some ancient cultures revered them as embodiments of immortality.