While out for a walk today I saw something that non one would believe except for the fact that I have witnesses!
Two pelicans flew at water level from one side of a settlement pond to the other and one ducked his head underwater to spear a fish - a carp which he then took sideways in his beak. The other pelican tried as hard as he could to get his share of the fish - to no avail. The first pelican ducked his head underwater and with a flip of the beak managed to get the fish positioned correctly - head facing down the throat ready to swallow. With a further flip of his beak he was about to swallow when the other pelican simply clamped his beak around the outside of the other's throat preventing the swallowing action.
Winded the first pelican opened his beak and allowed the fish to slide back into the water. Quick as a flash the second pelican made a grab for the fish.
While this action was taking place, walkers, bikers, joggers and runners were all lined up along the shore - agog with expectations about what would happen.
What did happen?
Both pelicans found that the fish was simply too big to swallow and left it there, dead, floating on the surface.
So much for the adage about pelicans - namely that their beaks can hold more than their belly can.
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1 comment:
Lowell from Florida finds your blog musings most fascinating. As for the pelicans it is still a wonder to me ,even after three years, to see them fly by at eye level when I am on the terrace. The advantage of living on the Atlantic Coast.
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