Turkey Vultures urinate on their legs in order to stay cool and kill bacteria.

Turkey Vultures are very valuable in nature because they get rid of sources of disease and waste. Their necks and bald heads are covered in red skin not unlike a turkey’s gobbler (which is where their name comes from). They have bald heads because it helps to combat the growth of bacteria from eating dead animals (their primary source of food). 

Though they only weigh about six pounds, their wingspans can reach up to 6 feet. Turkey vultures are much more like vultures than turkeys, though, in that they often fly over open fields looking for dead or dying animals. Because they feed off of dead animals, they speed up the recycling process. This is simply because dead animals take longer to decompose than feces.

And of course, a turkey vulture urinates on its legs. It’s both to cool off and kill the bacteria that made their way onto its legs while it was feeding on a dead animal. As you likely know, decomposing life forms are full of bacteria, which means urinating on the legs is quite useful to repel the bacteria for an animal that spends so much time around them. But unless soap isn’t readily available, it’s probably not wise to try this at home. 

(Source)