Found Spew's story, and it has some crazy details!
"Spew " the second Turkey Vulture chick to hatch from the pair of eggs we admitted at the Illinois Raptor Center. We've had some problems with this little guy. First of all it hatched almost 28 hours after the first one ("Hurl "). The chick at two weeks old is literally half the size of the first one. It's not dimorphism (size difference between sexes ). This little bird is a runt. " Hurl " isn't exactly the nicest sibling. To be honest Hurl is a massive jerk. I've had to remove Spews head out of his mouth many times! Vultures bite and violently twist when they scavenge dead creatures in the wild. They can do this from day one! Spew got injured eventually. Good thing they're being raised at a rehab center! We've separated spew for now and tended to a couple of cuts. So far things are looking better for him!
In this picture you can see a massive bulge under the beak. That is the chicks crop. The crop is completely full of food (which is smeared on the beak too). The chick can rest and slowly push food into the gizzard from crop.
Crazy stuff!
Far as I understand, it's common for raptorial chicks to fight to some degree, or push each other out of the nest as part of the 'strongest one gets the healthiest feed' idea. Or sometimes the mother herself will cruelly expel the smallest / weakest, especially in times of food scarcity.
Well, "cruelly" as we humans might judge such things.
"Momma otter has had enough of your sass, little'un!"
9h 47m ago by piefed.social/u/JohnnyEnzyme in animals from media.piefed.social
Newborn elephants depend on touch, scent, and sound, as their vision remains weak during their first days of life. Ross Couper captured the image
2d 11h ago by jlai.lu/u/pseudo in animals
Woman who rescued injured crow keeps getting ‘thank-you gifts’ from other birds
3d 1h ago by lemmy.world/u/homesweethomeMrL in animals from www.ctvnews.ca
There is indeed, majesty in Nature. (a bite-sized essay)
3d 9h ago by piefed.social/u/JohnnyEnzyme in animals from media.piefed.social
Ancient millipedes still had secrets to tell
3d 32m ago by lemmy.world/u/monica_b1998 in animals from news.vt.edu
TEST: does that video show up here? It's two gorilla siblings fussing & fighting in the rain.
5d 57m ago by piefed.social/u/JohnnyEnzyme in animals from v.redd.it
Hey, watch those arms, pal.
6d 6h ago by piefed.social/u/JohnnyEnzyme in animals from media.piefed.social
True Facts: The Horseshoe Crab. (5min edutainment video) [mildly NSFW]
8d 9h ago by piefed.social/u/JohnnyEnzyme in animals from www.youtube.com
The continuing adventures of Capy amongst the crocs (notes & 4 spine-tingling pics)
10d 8h ago by piefed.social/u/JohnnyEnzyme in animals from media.piefed.social
Some More Reasons We Don't Keep Wildlife as Pets
10d 12h ago by lemmy.world/u/anon6789 in animals
One-in-a-million white bison calf born in lowa
12d 13h ago by lemmy.world/u/anon6789 in animals
Just a nice little stroll on the beach... (notes in post)
13d 9h ago by piefed.social/u/JohnnyEnzyme in animals from media.piefed.social
WARNING: Jumping in to a polar bear enclosure is not recommended. (Info in post) [humor, implied NSFW]
15d 7h ago by piefed.social/u/JohnnyEnzyme in animals from www.youtube.com
Endangered crested ibises return to Japanese wild decades after extinction
15d 8h ago by lemmy.world/u/anon6789 in animals
Hungry Mouths, Part 2 - Piranha Boogaloo (The Most Misrepresented Fishy?)
16d 6h ago by lemmy.world/u/anon6789 in animals
Hungry mouths! (info in post)
17d 9h ago by piefed.social/u/JohnnyEnzyme in animals from media.piefed.social
Honey badger vs. Elephant
19d 20h ago by lemmy.zip/u/favoredponcho in animals from files.catbox.moe
Egyptian fruit bats in a cave in Maramagambo Forest, Uganda
20d 8h ago by piefed.social/u/JohnnyEnzyme in animals from media.piefed.social
Outnumbered, a Cobra fights off squirrels and mongoose to defend itself
21d 19h ago by lemmy.zip/u/favoredponcho in animals from i.imgur.com
Glass sea creatures created by the father-son "Blaschka" duo, 1863 to 1890. (notes in post)
23d 1h ago by piefed.social/u/JohnnyEnzyme in animals from media.piefed.social
The Squirrel King (rare phenomenon, all squirrels currently safe)
25d 1h ago by lemmy.world/u/anon6789 in animals