Missouri’s ‘Most Dangerous Bird’ is Really a Cold-Blooded Killer

I've dealt with these vicious birds off and on throughout my life and I'm not even a farmer. What has been declared as the most dangerous bird in Missouri truly is a cold-blooded killer.

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There's a brand new list of the 10 most dangerous birds in the skies over Missouri and #1 is a common villain especially for those who have cattle. A-Z Animals named the black vulture as the most dangerous bird in the Show Me State.

Since my family has frequently lived in the country over the years, it's fairly common to have black vultures land in our yard every now and then. I've never thought of them as "dangerous" per se, but more nature's cleanup crew consuming dead carcasses. Yes, they do that, but they really are a dangerous bird for farmers and ranchers.

KY3 out of Springfield shared a feature about black vultures explaining that they are known to attack cattle right after they're born. They will even go so far as to poke their eyes out before proceeding to kill the calves. Like I said at the beginning, cold-blooded killers.

It is true that the black vulture problem is such a problem in Missouri that the state makes permits available for farmers so they can remove the birds. Note that they are still a protected species, so it's not legal to kill a black vulture in Missouri without a permit.

I have no doubt that black vultures are a necessary part of nature, but that doesn't mean they can't be described as ruthless killers of cattle because that's exactly what they are.