Seagull Swallows Rat Whole on Boston Street

[Xipe Totec]

The North End of Boston is world famous for it's restaurants and Italian food. It's also known to have a little bit of a rat problem, but there's one less rodent around after this seagull decided to clean up the streets and have a huge meal at the same time. This happened on Salem Street recently as a couple of tourists were probably trying to find their way to Bova's Bakery.

https://wzlx.iheart.com/featured/chuck-nowlin/content/2019-02-28-seagull-swallows-rat-whole-in-the-north-end-horrified-tourists-video-event/

[2naSalit]

1. Brings a couple things to mind...

I was photographing waterfowl at a refuge a couple years ago and there was a large grebe in the water a short distance from me and its motions were odd to me so I zoomed in and took a few pictures, looked at them when I got home. As I reviewed the shots, I realized that the grebe, about the size of that gull, was choking down a sizeable fish, longer than its neck! I thought that was awesome since I didn't know what I was capturing until I got home.

Second thing; Once upon a time a landlord and I were trading jokes and barbs about animals and birds when he suddenly expressed his disdain for seagulls. He was an inlander and I was raised by the sea and I decided to feign dismay at his comment by saying,

"Heeeey! I'm from New England and in that part of the world we lovingly refer to them as...


RATS ON WINGS!"

He laughed really hard for several minutes. He was the best landlord ever.

I have seen them huck down fish you'd think would choke them in the process but never a real rat.

[DFW]

4. I don't blame the seagull

There are so few clams on the streets of Boston these days, they have no choice but to get inventive.

[2naSalit]

6. Indeed. It's cryin' shame

the way the clams have evacuated the streets these days!

[Xipe Totec]

8. They ran away as fast as they could

[2naSalit]

9. LOL!

[DFW]

10. Global warming, I figure

It's just too hot and dry for fish, even shellfish, to navigate the streets of our cities, even such welcoming cities as Boston.

Of course, the way things are going, they may own Miami in a few years.............

[Archae]

2. At Youtube are a few videos of Pelicans swallowing piegeons and sparrows.

Being so much larger, they are so much more aggressive.

[Control-Z]

3. I am so sorry I watched that.

I knew I would be. And yet...
What the ever loving fuck is wrong with me?

[pnwest]

5. Dayummm! Hungry much, bird?!

[Xipe Totec]

12. I blame the rat for being gullible nt

[2naSalit]

7. They have the gulls near water

in the mountains we have the legendary dumpster chickens...

[TuxedoKat]

16. Love it

There is a funny meme for different and perhaps? more appropos names for various animals, such as "Trash Panda" for a Raccoon and "Fart Squirrel" for a Skunk, just to name a few. I was trying to think of some and came up with "Black Squawker" for a Crow, but I like Dumpster Chicken better.

https://boredomtherapy.com/funny-animal-names/

[2naSalit]

17. I heard it from

my neighbors who had lived in a tourist town longer than I had. It was one of the first local terms I heard. They are smart and there is a town ordinance for trash left in the open, not just because of the bears or coyotes getting into trash but the ravens as well. They can open the compartment on snowmobiles, motorcycles, you name it, they can break in and steal your lunch. If you leave a plastic bag in the back of your pick up truck, it will be opened and the contents redistributed all over and they will crap all over the vehicle in the process.

[TuxedoKat]

18. Ravens, ok

I wonder if Crows would do that too. We don't have Ravens in my area that I know of. I feed Crows in my yard -- old bread, peanuts, suet, dog food, etc. They are quiet shy though.

[Yavin4]

11. The sequel to "The Departed"

Or should I say, "seagull".

[ProudLib72]

13. Theropod eats small mammal

Ummmm, Xipe, this has been going on for a long, long time. Just saying.

[Xipe Totec]

14. That's why I didn't put it on LBN. nt

[ProudLib72]

15. Good call!

[Kali]

19. !