Vultures, Cormorants, and Anhingas are often seen with wings spread open and their backs to the sun in a stance that helps them warm up, helps their wings to dry, and helps kill parasites on their feathers. This is called the horaltic pose and this Black Vulture offers a perfect example of that very pose. While I’ve witnessed this behavior often, with all three of these species, I didn’t know what it was called. Further sleuthing indicates that the term is possibly derived from the Egyptian god Horus, god of the sky, kingship, protection, and vengeance, and often depicted with the head of a Falcon with wings outspread.