It's not against any religion to want to dispose of a pigeon
October 24, 2006 4:59 PM   Subscribe

A wonderful bird is the Pelican. His bill can hold more than his belly can. But it's not against any religion to want to dispose of a pigeon... (Caution - last link video and all links Not Safe For Pigeon Lovers)
posted by Flitcraft (24 comments total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
(more inside) At least one of the St James's pelicans has taken up an unusual habit (there are at least two seperate incidents in those links). Something that amused me was the different spins the newspapers took on it - especially the Daily Mail's very typical 'Won't someone think of the children?' approach.
posted by Flitcraft at 5:03 PM on October 24, 2006


D'oh! Forgot to spell check - 'separate'
posted by Flitcraft at 5:06 PM on October 24, 2006


Meanwhile, through the magic of the balance of nature, the pidgeon eaten by the pelican was counteracted by a hippo saving an antelope from a crocodile.
posted by MetaMonkey at 5:13 PM on October 24, 2006


Now I know what this pelican was thinking.
posted by homunculus at 5:17 PM on October 24, 2006


And nature returns to savagery via a tiger killing a crocodile.
posted by Operation Afterglow at 5:21 PM on October 24, 2006


I was at Disneyland in late spring this year. Walking along Rivers of America toward Critter Country when an egret swooped out of the air, caught up a mallard chick out of the water with its beak, landed on a nearby post, tossed it up in the air, and swallowed it whole in one gobble.

Quite an impressive sight. And one that bothered those children nearby that noticed.
posted by obfusciatrist at 5:21 PM on October 24, 2006


...a hippo saving an antelope from a crocodile? Methinks not.
posted by taosbat at 5:27 PM on October 24, 2006


Well, the hippo tried.
posted by clevershark at 5:34 PM on October 24, 2006


'Tis true, 'tis true...
posted by taosbat at 5:37 PM on October 24, 2006


Aw crap. I had somehow managed to miss the last few seconds, and thought the antelope was just having a little lie down. But at least the monkey escapes.
posted by MetaMonkey at 5:52 PM on October 24, 2006


Duck kills giant pike
posted by homunculus at 6:08 PM on October 24, 2006


Pike eats trout.
posted by clevershark at 6:24 PM on October 24, 2006


I'm just glad that in this crazy world, not only can a dog and an elk get along, but also a crow and a bunny.

(The last 5 seconds or so of the second video is the best, when the bunny chases off a cat to the tune of Rocky and Bullwinkle.)
posted by kindle at 6:27 PM on October 24, 2006


A wonderful bird is the Pelican.
posted by _sirmissalot_ at 6:28 PM on October 24, 2006


I fucking hate pelicans. My little league team was named The Pelicans because the coach was from Louisiana. Fuck you, coach. I mean, are you shitting me? What kind of an image does a pelican invoke? You're not tough when you're a pelican. You just kind of stand there and wander around aimlessly (which is a pretty good description of how we played, now that I think about it.)

I've always liked hippos, though (good try mate!) I think a hippo charging at you would be pants-wetting as hell. Hippo > Pelican > Pigeon.
posted by Cyrano at 6:31 PM on October 24, 2006


I live in a part of the country where we see pelicans every day but I can say without a doubt I've never seen a pelican eat anything but a fish. On the other hand, I regularly see (and take great joy in) hawks swooping down and eating those overgrown flying rats. If only they'd take care of the squirrels too.
posted by photoslob at 7:33 PM on October 24, 2006


I was in a grad school Shakespeare class when we encountered a pelican allusion (hell if I can remember which play). The professor asked if anyone understood the reference. I raised my hand, and told of the pelican's legendary devotion to its young, how it was reported to pluck its breast to feed the chicks its own blood. The professor, very imressed, asked me how I knew such a thing. "Mark Trail," I answered.
posted by MrMoonPie at 7:56 PM on October 24, 2006


I. fucking. hate. pigeons.
That is all.
posted by MikeKD at 8:50 PM on October 24, 2006


Laughter and merriment, indeed.
posted by alasdair at 12:09 AM on October 25, 2006


There are currently five pelicans living near Duck Island in St James's Park ...

On a diet of pigeon, there will soon be only four.
posted by grabbingsand at 4:11 AM on October 25, 2006


That video of the pelican eating the pigeon is bizarre.

Though, the 'expression' or 'reaction' of his/her pelcian buddy is pretty good. "Are you really going to put that in your mouth? Dude, no. You're not actually going to eat that, are you? Oh, god, you are! Dude, can you say 'sky rat'! Yuck! Spit it out! Oh, that's soooo gross. You're disgusting, man! Comon', spit it out! I'll buy you a Filet o' Fish! What, are you trying out for Jackass? Oh god this is embarassing."
posted by loquacious at 5:51 AM on October 25, 2006


What no batshitinsane tag??!?!?

Damn, I was going to post this - it caused my entire office to down tools at lunchtime today to gather round a monitor and make impressed/disgusted noises. I work near St James's Park and boy are those birds lethal. They routinely chase tourists around. I would love to see a video of them swallowing a backpacker.
posted by greycap at 2:39 PM on October 25, 2006


Jainism.
posted by Citizen Premier at 8:41 PM on October 25, 2006


Perhaps it was drunk? People eat doner kebabs when they're drunk, and they're much less appetising than London pigeon.
posted by holgate at 2:37 AM on October 26, 2006


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