Black vultures are increasingly invading neighborhoods across the United States, bringing foul-smelling droppings, property damage and outrage among residents, according to a new report.
Hillsborough, North Carolina has been ground zero, with countless complaints about the droppings, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The problem is more widespread, however. Black vultures have pushed farther north in recent years, with growing numbers fueling complaints over property damage, livestock attacks and other conflicts, according to the University of Georgia’s Kohl Wildlife Lab.
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Experts say warmer winters, easy food sources, and the birds’ ability to thrive around people have all likely contributed to the expansion.
Bryan Watts, director of the Center for Conservation Biology at William & Mary, told Fox News Digital that feeding vultures can attract unexpectedly large numbers of birds.
"Feeding vultures can attract a following of hundreds — and more importantly, can create a bond to the site that is very hard to break," Watts said.
The phenomenon is not limited to residential neighborhoods, he noted. Vultures are often around landfills, community dumpsters and boat ramps where food is readily available.
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"Once the birds are fixed to the site, they will often spend large amounts of time loafing," Watts said.
While vultures provide an important environmental service by consuming animal carcasses and other decaying material, their presence can create challenges when large groups gather in one place.
Black vultures have been known to damage property, according to Watts.
"They are attracted to other materials like windshield wipers and car trim, parts of house roofs ... and they will damage those," he warned.
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The birds can also behave aggressively toward pets and livestock.
Complaints from residents have included reports of droppings accumulating on homes, vehicles, sidewalks and driveways. Some have described the vultures' waste as foul-smelling and capable of damaging surfaces over time, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The issue has sparked debate online, as many commenters have defended the birds despite the complaints.
"Vultures are incredibly important," one Reddit user wrote. "They are nature’s cleanup crew, and they help keep the world from becoming a much nastier place."
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Others argue that vultures often gather in residential areas even when nobody is feeding them.
"We have a ton of vultures living in the pine trees behind our house in South Carolina," another commenter wrote. "None of us feed them."
Some commenters took a middle-ground position, saying vultures play an important role in the ecosystem but that intentionally feeding wildlife can create problems.
"Vultures are amazing animals," one user wrote. "All that said, [people] should not be feeding them."
Fox News Digital reached out to the town of Hillsborough for comment.