Thread: Distressed pelican rescued...

From FB...

Please be mindful how your actions can affect wildlife. On New Year's eve, this brown pelican (#19-5330) was admitted to the #CROWClinic with a large, filleted fish carcass stuck in its throat. Luckily, veterinarians were able to remove the carcass and the pelican was released within 24 hours.
It may seem like a good idea to toss filleted fish carcasses back into the water, but it can actually have some serious consequences for wildlife. The first way is that sharp bones like those of this filleted sheepshead can puncture a bird's throat or internal organs or get stuck and prevent it from being able to eat. Secondly, feeding birds scraps from filleted fish causes them to become conditioned to look for a free handout instead of hunting fish on their own. This makes them more susceptible to injury from other human-related things such as fishing hooks and line.

James and I did that to one a few years ago.

Glad they were able to save the pelican. However, I don't really see how the fish being filleted contributed to the occupational hazard that sea birds already have, which is eating fish that have long, sharp spines. Seems like it might have gotten stuck in his throat regardless of whether it was filleted or not. Maybe the pelican wouldn't ordinarily have been able to swallow a whole fish that size. I dunno ...

"A curious bird is the pelican. His beak can hold more than his belly can. He can hold in his beak enough food for a week, and I don't see how the hell he can." Author unknown

The issue being these birds (young & dumb, inexperienced juvenile pelicans) become conditioned to accepting 'handouts' (discards and fillet remnants) from humans, to the point they greedily try to eat anything that comes in their direction.

Ouch. If you’ve been poked by a Sheepshead you know that crap hurts..let alone in an animals throat or stomach!

Unfortunately it seems like feeding the pelicans is an attraction to some people. Many times on Fairhope pier the tourists would feed pelicans croakers/etc and then wonder why Pelicans would follow them around..here’s your sign

Originally Posted by Pier#r

The issue being these birds (young & dumb, inexperienced juvenile pelicans) become conditioned to accepting 'handouts' (discards and fillet remnants) from humans, to the point they greedily try to eat anything that comes in their direction.

Same issue for Fred the Great Blue Heron who follows me around every time I fish in the surf...best not to feed them at all.

Yeah, I get the point of the birds getting annoying after becoming conditioned to handouts. All I was trying to say is that the FB post insinuated that the pelican got a spine in its throat because someone threw the carcass in the water, as if the pelican wouldn't have gotten finned if it had caught the fish itself, which is just not true. But don't worry, I don't feed Sam.

Yeah, I guess they get 'emotional' about it because they are the ones who have to stick their hands down that smelly throat when a pelican or heron gets entangled or impaled. Yeeuch!
And 'we' (fishermen) are the ones filleting the fish and tossing carcasses (not me, I clean my fish at home, etc.).
But hopefully, those of 'us' fishers (men & women) who know what can happen, can help spread awareness so it doesn't happen (feeding the birds), and they can live as the wild critters they were intended.

It seems the vast majority of these type of incidences involve juvenile pelicans and herons, that haven't yet learned to fend for themselves and that humans can be 'trouble' for them.
And you're right, it is quite doubtful a pelican (in the wild) could catch a 'legal sized' sheepshead, and IF it did would learn the hard lesson about those fins pretty fast.
But yes, it was a fisherman (not me, or you but some 'well meaning', 'ignorant', or just plain 'mean' person) who tossed that carcass where that dumb bird could grab it.

Maybe we can help them too ;-)