WTF! Pelican swallows pigeon

[malaise]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6083468.stm
<snip>
Families and tourists in a London park were left shocked when a pelican picked up and swallowed a pigeon.

The unusual wildlife spectacle in St James's Park was caught on camera by photographer Cathal McNaughton.

He said the Eastern White pelican had the unfortunate pigeon in its beak for more than 20 minutes before swallowing it whole.
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Wow we have sure fugged up this planet.
Edit - correct headline

[ProdigalJunkMail]

1. i think you mean pigeon

but still weird...

sP

[malaise]

3. Thanks -corrected n/t

[rodeodance]

2. bet he gets a bellyache.

[malaise]

4. So sad

and even more weird.

[BoneDaddy]

31. SAD?

I am an animal lover, but sad? It was a pigeon, the rat caste of the birds. Funny, hillarious and bizarre, but not sad.

[ourbluenation]

5. it's a sign - the apocolypse is near! Time to get my nails done for the rapture!

Btw, has anyone checked in on those rapture-ready broads lately?

[pansypoo53219]

12. pfft, that's nothing. pelicans eat fish.

years ago i saw a CHIPMUNK catch a juvinal bird like a lion, and then loped off with the dead bird in it's jaws. THAT IS THE SIGN OF THE APOCALYPSE!

[Poll_Blind]

19. Whoa, I always thought of chipmonks like the one from Caddyshack.

Smart enough to outwit a stoner groundskeeper but really just intent on partying to Kenny Loggins songs. I remember hearing something about deer also eating meat on occasion.

PB

[MrSlayer]

6. Cool.

C'mon Pelican.

[BrotherBuzz]

7. The Pelican

The Pelican

A wonderful bird is the pelican,
His mouth can hold more than his belly can,
He can hold in his beak,
Enough food for a week.
I'm damned if I know how the hell he can!
- Dixon Lanier Merritt

[malaise]

9. That's cool

I love pelicans . We have loads of them in these parts. I've never seen one eat anything but fish. I do feel it for the poor pigeon though!

[originalpckelly]

8. Pigeon murderer!

Poor pigeon! Poor wittle burdie!
:cry:

[Yupster]

24. All the world is in tune

on a spring afternoon
as we're poisoning pigeons in the park.

Excerpted from Tom Lehrer's Great 1950's hit "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park."

As he continued,

"We'll murder them all and in laughter and merriment,
except for the few we take home to experiment."

If anyone knows Tom Lehrer, he was kind of like the Weird Al Yankevic of the 50's.

He sang the Periodic Table of Elements for example to the tune of the Gilbert and Sullivan hit, the "Making of a Modern Major General."

Other lines I remember from 40 years ago

"When it's siesta time in Guadelahara
Then it's down to Mexico I'm longing to go.
Far away from the strikes of the AF of L and CIO..."

Still makes me laugh.

"Ivy covered professors, in ivy covered halls."

It's time for a Tom Lehrer comeback.

[jayctravis]

10. Aren't pelicans carnivores?

I always remember learning the scoop in their bill was to get fish out of the water.

Other birds is a little weird...but you know how some people call pigeons "winged rats".

[Uncle Joe]

13. With, the oceans becoming so trashed and acidic,

they are probably having a hard time finding their traditional food of fish.

[malaise]

14. Probably true of the Thames

since they're in London.

[Uncle Joe]

15. Yes, the rivers too n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

17. They're 'domesticated'

They are fed by the park keepers - they don't leave the park to feed. Actually, the Thames is a lot cleaner and healthier than it has been for hundreds of years now - thanks to sewage being treated, and industrial effluent being controlled better (and less industry along it anyway). They found an otter (dead, but not apparently from pollution) about a month ago, which they think is a good sign.

[malaise]

29. Thanks for this n/t

[Retrograde]

11. yay, pelican

Mr. Retrograde and I recently saw a seagull eating a pigeon: I shall refrain from posting the picture. My respect for seagulls (a.k.a. aquatic rats who frequent garbage dumps) went up immeasurably.

Does the pelican in question do squirrels as well? If so, I know a few it can have...

BTW, it is very difficult to kick a pigeon.

[Catchawave]

16. On Olbermann tonight....

the "film" on Oddball. Poor little pidgy. :cry:

[Poll_Blind]

18. Having grown up on the Gulf Coast, I am not surprised. Pelicans...

...are some pretty tough, hungry, agressive, large birds. When I was very young my first warnings about wildlife included: Staying the hell away from alligators, pick up a crab from behind, and don't go near pelicans. Those beaks kind of work like kukris and can take out an eye or give you a really nasty knock.

PB

[spacelady]

20. Wild Things, They Make My Heart Sing. n/t

[frustrated_lefty]

21. Louisiana ate the fuckers

[Cleita]

22. Birds eat birds.

The Red Tail Hawks nail other species of birds all the time in my neighborhood. I know that Pelicans prefer fish but they have been know to nail small mammals and other birds.

Sometimes mother nature is a bitch.

[pinniped]

23. Good, pigeons are disgusting critters.

We need more pigeon eating pelicans.

[XemaSab]

25. Have you ever smelled pelican shit?

Trust me, you don't want to.

[pitohui]

26. er, yeah, pelicans are carnivores, next?

i've seen similar but i wouldn't film it for the hysterics

pelicans are carnivores, they are built to catch and eat fish but if a pigeon or gull or peep is going to make it easy, why not? they need protein

no pelican got that figure eating tofu, sorry

as for the "one louisiana brown," there aren't any, they are extinct, all louisiana brown pelicans are descendents from introductions from florida because our local population was killed in the 50s/60s

[AtomicKitten]

27. here's video - yuck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rcg63Y1QSDk

[malaise]

30. Yuck indeed n/t

[Atman]

28. I'm telling you, these are crazy times. Even fruits and veggies are attacking!

.