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I don't have to have to "back up" a thing because others are uninformed and didn't read, see, or hear what I did. And that goes for you, too.
Del, I don't believe anyone is attacking your own personal credibility - you read what was reported, and believe it. Others disagree. None of us were there to see it with our own eyes.
For me, I am skeptical of the credibility of the "witness" who had her dog taken (if it happened at all), simply because of the physics involved; it would have to be the largest gull and the tiniest dog, and even then, I have my doubts. Now, could a gull "kill" a small dog? Sure. But to fly off with it in its beak? Stretches the bounds of physical limitations for me, I believe that a gull could take off with maybe a fourth or less of its own weight, so it would have to be a 1.5 pound dog and a 6 pound gull for that to make sense. The vast majority of gulls weigh much, much less than that. Seems much more likely to me that if the dog was actually taken by a bird, my guess is it was a bird of prey, not a seagull, and it was misidentified by the dog's owner.
But I'm not an ornithologist or zookeeper, maybe some really knowledgeable people will weigh in on this in the coming days. You have a right to believe what you read, just as I have a right to be skeptical. No personal offense intended or given; as Dave Mason once opined, we just disagree.
A seagull tried to snatch one of our babies by the diaper in Galveston ... not joking. And not sure if it was a gull or some other seabird but while visiting Vancouver Island, we stopped at a seafood shack, took our plates to an outdoor table and some big old pterodactyl-looking thing swooped down, snatched my brother-in-law's plate of fish and chips and off he went.
Del, I don't believe anyone is attacking your own personal credibility - you read what was reported, and believe it. Others disagree. None of us were there to see it with our own eyes.
For me, I am skeptical of the credibility of the "witness" who had her dog taken (if it happened at all), simply because of the physics involved; it would have to be the largest gull and the tiniest dog, and even then, I have my doubts. Now, could a gull "kill" a small dog? Sure. But to fly off with it in its beak? Stretches the bounds of physical limitations for me, I believe that a gull could take off with maybe a fourth or less of its own weight, so it would have to be a 1.5 pound dog and a 6 pound gull for that to make sense. The vast majority of gulls weigh much, much less than that. Seems much more likely to me that if the dog was actually taken by a bird, my guess is it was a bird of prey, not a seagull, and it was misidentified by the dog's owner.
But I'm not an ornithologist or zookeeper, maybe some really knowledgeable people will weigh in on this in the coming days. You have a right to believe what you read, just as I have a right to be skeptical. No personal offense intended or given; as Dave Mason once opined, we just disagree.
Regarding this story, "Ornithologist Peter Rock of the University of Bristol told the BBC that seagulls are, indeed, capable of picking up small animals such as a chihuahua."
When I lived in California and regularly went to the beach, you had to protect your lunch from them, they would surround you.
One time, the people next to me were pulling out their lunch items, including an entire rotisserie chicken. A gull swooped out of nowhere and snatched the entire chicken, which I would guess would weigh around what a tiny chihuahua would.
Regarding this story, "Ornithologist Peter Rock of the University of Bristol told the BBC that seagulls are, indeed, capable of picking up small animals such as a chihuahua."
When I lived in California and regularly went to the beach, you had to protect your lunch from them, they would surround you.
One time, the people next to me were pulling out their lunch items, including an entire rotisserie chicken. A gull swooped out of nowhere and snatched the entire chicken, which I would guess would weigh around what a tiny chihuahua would.
Some of those gulls in California are a lot bigger than the ones on the East Coast. I remember the first time I saw one and thinking it was huge! I had an East Coast gull try to steal a slice of pizza from me. It could only carry it about 200 feet before dropping it in the sand because it was too heavy. This dog attack happened in Pennsylvania so I am picturing smaller gulls in that area (which isn't even on the coast when you think about it. Although those gulls do go inland to dumpster dive).
I am with another poster and think this is a case of mistaken bird identy. I see it all the time where people think ospreys are gulls. While the ornithologists say it's possible they add it's very unlikely it was a gull. They added that gulls typically drop whatever they scoop up right away, not carry it off.
We are relying on eye witness testimony of a distressed dog owner. I would put my money on an osprey--a raptor and easily misidentified especially during a quick grab and flying off. Ospreys routinely carry off fish 3-4 pounds.
Although I suppose it really doesn't matter what kind of bird it was. It's still sad. I have a dog myself and I can imagine what those people felt. My dog isn't light enough to be carried away by any bird, but I can relate to the feelings.
Last edited by TMBGBlueCanary; 07-25-2019 at 06:18 AM..
I can't imagine why you'd decide it never happened, especially given your apparent lack of experience with seagulls, believing they carry their pray in their feet/claws.
I've spent a LOT of time at texas beaches, and yes, they can carry stuff. Like, for example, the large steak you just pulled off the grill or the large catfish you just landed and got off the hook.
It could grip it by the fur.
But it's not a question of where it grips it. It's a simple question of weight ratio.
Of course, an African seagull could do it. But they're non-migratory, you know.
But it's not a question of where it grips it. It's a simple question of weight ratio.
Of course, an African seagull could do it. But they're non-migratory, you know.
Wait a minute -- supposing two seagulls carried it together?
("spread the love")
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