History Main / VileVulture

As a motif, vulture motifs are used for people who steal from the dead or have a profession that involves tending to the dead (e.g. undertakers and grave robbers). The motif is also given to people who are trying to gain from another person's troubles (e.g. businessmen, insurance salesmen, and grave robbers) [[note]] Realistically, it would be more accurate to compare them to sanitation workers because although their job is looked down upon or sneered at by others, their jobs are vitally important to their respective environments [[/note]]. This motif is very rarely given to a purely heroic character, they are either [[PragmaticHero pragmatic antiheroes]] at best or [[OpportunisticBastard greedy, opportunistic villains]] at worst when this is their motif.

In a classic example of reality being unrealistic, vultures can indeed often be seen hanging out in dead trees. The sinister image is for entirely practical reasons: they can see farther without leaves in the way. They're also big birds, and the smaller twigs having broken off also makes it easier to perch (especially since they have flat, chicken-like feet that affect their ability to grasp). They're just as happy on a water tower... or an EvilTowerOfOminousness.

* ''ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse'': In the ''Paperinik'' series, there is a vulture supervillain named Inquinator. His M.O. mainly revolves around garbage, which alludes to vultures' diet of feeding off wasted bodies. Though he makes a HeelFaceTurn in the comic "Paperinik e il ritorno di Inquinator" ("Duck Avenger and the return of Inquinator"), [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor he goes back to being a villain again]] in the comic series ''ComicBook/{{Ultraheroes}}''.

* ''Literature/TheSwordOfSaintFerdinand'': Vultures are constantly treated as ruthless scavengers and heralds of death who are always looking for corpses of unlucky people to feed on.

* ''ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse'': In the Paperinik series, there is a vulture supervillain named Inquinator. His M.O. mainly revolves around garbage, which alludes to vultures' diet of feeding off wasted bodies. Though he makes a HeelFaceTurn in the comic "Paperinik e il ritorno di Inquinator" ("Duck Avenger and the return of Inquinator"), [[HeelFaceRevolvingDoor he goes back to being a villain again]] in the comic series [[ComicBook/{{Ultraheroes}} Ultraheroes]].
* ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'': Adrian "The Vulture" Toomes is a villain who stylizes himself as a vulture by using a winged suit to rob banks and try to kill Spider-Man. His vulture-like appearance is aided by the fact that he's bald and has a fairly prominent, pointy nose.

* One of the most notable ''aversions'' in comics is ComicBook/{{Condorito}}, an anthropomorphic Andean Condor who is Chile's most iconic cartoon character. He's consistently characterized as friendly, loyal, and always willing to help anyone. That said, [[InformedSpecies he doesn't look much like a condor]].

* The subject of several gags in ''ComicStrip/TheFarSide'':

* Mr. Buzzard in ''Literature/BirdLifeInWington'' is a subversion. While he will dine on the corpses of his neighbors should one be available, he's shown to be a calm, solemn, honest and patient fellow whom some consider over-religious (and this in a ''Christian'' book). For example, in the story where he's introduced, he's talking to Mr. Hawk. The subject of breakfast comes up, and Mr. Buzzard admits he hasn't had his yet, saying "It's best to wait on the Lord; He always provides." Mr. Hawk scoffs at this and tries to kill Bill Robin (who is sitting on a nearby fencepost) and have him for breakfast--but Bill Robin is startled by Mr. Hawk's shadow and flies off. As a result [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Mr. Hawk ends up fatally impaling himself on that same post]]--whereupon Mr. Buzzard claims ''him'' for breakfast, saying [[IronicEcho "It's best to wait on the Lord; He always provides."]]
* The Gwythaints from ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfPrydain'' are a subversion. In the books (unlike in [[WesternAnimation/TheBlackCauldron the movie]], where they are depicted as dragons), they are huge black vulture-like birds that serve as messengers and spies for the arch-villain Arawn. However, they are not inherently evil and have the potential for good-- Taran befriends one, which goes on to save him in a HeroicSacrifice in the last book.
* Averted in the ''Literature/{{Ramayana}}'', where demi-gods Jatayu and Sampati take on the form of vultures and are very much [[Main/NobleBirdOfPrey Noble Birds of Prey]], with Jatayu in particular even sacrificing himself to save Sita from her kidnapper Ravana. Hell, he even provides the page quote for the latter trope.

* Usually averted with vultures and condors which tend to be revered in many non-European cultures (i.e. the heroic vultures in ''Literature/{{Ramayana}}'', the [[Myth/EgyptianMythology Egyptian]] maternal vulture goddess Nekhbet, the condor being the symbol of [[Myth/IncaMythology Inti]], et cetera). A notable exception are the Mono people of California, which see the condor as essentially a serial killer that drinks human blood by decapitation.
* The "Vulture King"[[note]]Rei Urubu in Brazilian sources; roughly translates to this in English[[/note]] is an ambivalent figure in Myth/TupiGuaraniMythology. Sometimes, he is an antagonist to the hero twins. Other times he is a NobleDemon who honors his promises.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': Mr. Burns is often associated with birds, in particular, vultures.
** His character design, with his thin frame, skinny neck, and beak-like nose, makes him look very bird-like.
** His home includes a [[https://frinkiac.com/img/S04E17/769935.jpg menagerie]] filled with birds, (including vultures that look [[https://i.imgur.com/cYENVBX.png remarkably like himself]],) and in 'Fraudcast News', his alter ego in his Itchy & Scratchy propaganda cartoon is a [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/simpsons/images/7/7f/IMG_1431.PNG/revision/latest/top-crop/width/220/height/220?cb=20130204123251 vulture]].
** In a more subtle example, nearly all of the establishing shots of the nuclear power plant are accompanied by the sound of a crow's caw. According to 'Burns, Baby, Burns,' he apparently has several pet peacocks that wander around the grounds of Burns Manor.
** In 'The Fool Monty,' Mr. Burns is rendered mentally incompetent after suffering from a head injury. While the mayor holds a meeting to discuss what to do with him, Burns is restrained, appropriately enough, in an [[https://puzzledpagan.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/030.png over-sized bird cage]].
** In "Havana Wild Weekend", Mr. Burns, Lindsey Naegle, The Rich Texan, and Howard K. Duff VIII are the millionaires on "Vulture's Nest" (a spoof of ''Series/SharkTank'') who can provide funding and help with their business ideas and products to entrepreneurs. The Vultures can offer to take a percentage of the profits in return for investing money into the idea.

As a motif, vulture motifs are used for people who steal from the dead or have a profession that involves tending to the dead (e.g. undertakers and grave robbers). The motif is also given to people who are trying to gain from another person's troubles (e.g. businessmen, insurance salesmen, and grave robbers) [[note]] Realistically, it would be more accurate to compare them to sanitation workers because although their job is looked down upon or sneered at by others, their jobs are vitally important to their respective environments [[/note]]. This motif is very rarely given to a heroic character, they are either opportunistic antiheroes at best or greedy villains at worst when this is their motif.

As anthropomorphic characters, vultures have been often portrayed as apathetic and pitiless to the lives of others. They may use gallows humor to entertain themselves, often providing commentary on dire situations and making jokes at their prey's expense to show how little they value life and how they enjoy watching the performance of the kill. If they are in the story, it means a character is doomed or facing certain death. In other cases, the vulture is scheming their deaths and orchestrating these fatal situations in the first place.

* ''Series/{{Grimm}}'': Geiers are vulture-like Wesen (humanoid human-animal hybrids) who are known for their practices of making wesen medicines out of human organs, oftentimes [[OrganTheft through vivisection]]. They're also noted for their sadistic behavior.

As a motif, vulture motifs are used for people who steal from the dead or have a profession that involves tending to the dead (e.g. undertakers and grave robbers). The motif is also given to people who are trying to gain from another person's troubles (e.g. businessmen, insurance salesmen, and grave robbers). This motif is very rarely given to a heroic character, they are either opportunistic antiheroes at best or greedy villains at worst when this is their motif.

As anthropomorphic characters, vultures have been often portrayed as apathetic and pitiless to the lives of others. They may use gallows humor to entertain themselves by providing commentary on dire situations and making jokes at their prey's expense. If they are in the story, it means a character is doomed or facing certain death. In other cases, the vulture is scheming their deaths and orchestrating these fatal situations in the first place.

* ''Franchise/SpiderMan'': Adrian "The Vulture" Toomes is a villain who stylizes himself as a vulture by using a winged suit to rob banks and try to kill Spider-Man. His vulture-like appearance is aided by the fact that he's bald and has a fairly prominent, pointy nose.

* In ''WesternAnimation/BeavisAndButtHeadDoAmerica'', Beavis and Butt-Head are lost in the desert and too dehydrated to move. The vultures start circling. The boys, even in their distress, are amused by the fact that two of the vultures are mating.
* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Fantasia}}'', a sinister-looking vulture appears at the beginning of the Night on Bald Mountain sequence, where it appears perched on a gallows.

Compare and contrast CirclingVultures, in which the mere presence of vultures is treated as a sign that a character is doomed. Overlaps with FeatheredFiend for birds being as villains. See also CreepyCrows for another type of bird often portrayed with an unnerving or malevolent bent. A subtrope of ScavengersAreScum, since vultures are seen as bad omens for targeting the dead or dying so they can eat them or steal from them. Contrast NobleBirdOfPrey, since vultures are often portrayed as the UnpleasantAnimalCounterpart to other raptors.

* One anti-smoking advertisement had a man lost in a desert beg a pair of vultures for a cigarette even though he should be asking for water. After the man smokes one cigarette he asks for another and one of the vultures has an idea. The vultures put [[CashLure a cigarette on the end of a fishing line]] and use it to lure the man into falling off of a cliff so they can eat him.

When it comes to being a BrutalBirdOfPrey, these guys defiantly take the cake.