The short answer
Dream interpretation is not prediction and not diagnosis. This article separates what sleep research observes from what popular interpretation associates with the theme.
Dreaming about vultures does not announce death, illness or bad luck. The bird appears in dreams linked to worry, a feeling that something is about to end or of being circled by a problem. It is also common among people who live near landfills, in rural areas or in places where vultures are seen often.
Read also: Dreaming about birds and Dreaming about owls.
What research observes
Under the continuity hypothesis, the animals that appear in dreams tend to be those that are part of a person's daily life. In much of the Americas, vultures are very common birds, even in large cities, and they easily slip into dreams.
When the scene is threatening, with vultures circling or closing in, the dream fits the idea that the mind rehearses dangerous situations in a safe setting.
Source: Revonsuo, Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 2000.
The most reported variations
| Scene | What it usually comes with |
|---|---|
| Vultures circling | A sense of something hovering, worry |
| A vulture perched nearby | Alertness, discomfort with a situation |
| Many vultures together | Piled-up problems, a heavy atmosphere |
| A vulture feeding | Something coming to an end, wear and tear |
| Chasing the vultures away | Relief, solving a problem |
Other birds in dreams are covered in dreaming about birds.
When to seek help
Dreaming about vultures is common and harmless. If it turns into a recurring nightmare and you wake up frightened several times a week, it is worth talking to a health professional: see how to have fewer nightmares.
Source: Morgenthaler et al., Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2018.
What dream books say
Livro do Sonho, a popular Brazilian dream dictionary, acknowledges the vulture's reputation as a bad omen, but also records pleasant readings, such as an unexpected gift from a distant relative and support from friends and family. Remember that no dream book reading is a warning of death, and that in nature the vulture is the bird that cleans and renews the environment.
Freud described dream books as a kind of dictionary that translates each image into another with a fixed meaning. Artemidorus of Daldis, author of the oldest dream interpretation book that has survived, advised looking at the dreamer's life before interpreting. If you see the dream as a message, both paths suggest the same thing: ask what this image brings to mind in your life right now. See dream meanings according to science and culture.
Source: Livro do Sonho, Brazilian dream dictionary; Freud, Die Traumdeutung, 1900.
What folklore says
In folk readings, the vulture is seen as a bad omen, linked to death and loss. At the same time, biologists point out that it is essential to nature, cleaning the environment and helping to stop the spread of disease, and some folk readings link it to cleansing and renewal. These are cultural interpretations with no evidence. See dream meanings according to science and culture.
Read also: another city bird: the pigeon.
Sources
- Schredl M, Hofmann F. Continuity between waking activities and dream activities. Consciousness and Cognition, 2003. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1053-8100(02)00072-7
- Revonsuo A. The reinterpretation of dreams: An evolutionary hypothesis of the function of dreaming. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 2000. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X00004015
- Morgenthaler TI et al. Position Paper for the Treatment of Nightmare Disorder in Adults: An American Academy of Sleep Medicine Position Paper. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2018. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.7178
- Freud S. The Interpretation of Dreams (Die Traumdeutung), 1900. Project Gutenberg. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/66048
- Livro do Sonho. Sonhar com urubu. https://www.livrodosonho.com/significado-dos-sonhos-sonhar-com-urubu-2087.htm
Frequently asked questions
Is dreaming about vultures a warning of death?
No. That is a folk belief with no evidence. The dream usually reflects worry.
What does dreaming about vultures circling mean?
It usually comes with a sense that a problem is hovering.
Is dreaming about many vultures bad?
It predicts nothing. The scene usually reflects piled-up problems.
Why did I dream about vultures?
In many places the bird is very common, and dreams reuse what we see every day.
