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badger
02-Sep-07, 20:33
Not sure if I'm allowed to post this here as we don't have pelicans in Caithness but my daughter, who lives in London, watched in horror last week as a pelican in St. James's Park ate a live pigeon. People watched for a while as the pigeon struggled to get out of the pelican's pouch (is that what it's called?) for a long time. I won't go into details as it is too horrific but I thought pelicans ate fish? Have they turned cannibal or is this normal? The pelicans there are so tame now they can be stroked but presumably they could also become dangerous?

ks
02-Sep-07, 21:32
Had a look re their diet and it seems they mostly eat fish but will eat gulls if really hungry, but they will drown them first, would have thought there would be enought food for them just now but maybe not.

NickInTheNorth
03-Sep-07, 08:26
Not sure if I'm allowed to post this here as we don't have pelicans in Caithness but my daughter, who lives in London, watched in horror last week as a pelican in St. James's Park ate a live pigeon. People watched for a while as the pigeon struggled to get out of the pelican's pouch (is that what it's called?) for a long time. I won't go into details as it is too horrific but I thought pelicans ate fish? Have they turned cannibal or is this normal? The pelicans there are so tame now they can be stroked but presumably they could also become dangerous?

Same as most animals they will eat what is easily available to them. Whats horrific about it? It's nature.

badger
03-Sep-07, 11:19
That's what I wanted to know - is it nature? I just wondered if this was how pelicans behave in the wild or are they developing into something more predatory due to their protected lifestyle? Killing for food is one thing but presumably these pelicans are well fed.

I didn't know they ate seagulls so that answers my question - thank you.

What was horrific was the sight of the pigeon struggling for so long and I didn't think it necessary to go in to graphic detail.

Liz
04-Sep-07, 13:49
Here is the BBC news story re this incident.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/6098678.stm

Nature is cruel but I would hate to have seen it!!!:(