Thousands Of Birds Died After Mistaking This Walmart Parking Lot For Water

Business Insider ^ | Dina Spector and Gus Lubin

[cripplecreek]

Yeah, I’m guessing they crashed into the ground for some other reason.

I live on a lake and never see birds diving straight into the water from the air. They generally glide in for a flat landing. I do occasionally see a goose or swan roll across the surface upon landing.

[tarheelswamprat]

A humanitarian robot! Only in Texas!

Have a great Christmas, and don’t forget to lube up safely!

[SF_Redux]

DITTO cripplecreek

[cripplecreek]

Grebes are diving ducks but they don’t dive into the water from the air. They dive from the surface.

[frithguild]

Bush’s fault

[b4its2late]

I’ve never seen birds that land head first in water. I have seen the diving ones, but they only dive in head first when they see a fish to go after. Something fishy in this story.

[shove_it]

Pelicans are like Stukas in my neighborhood ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eYoymfSqN0

[cripplecreek]

The only birds around here that dive headfirst into the water are kingfishers.

[dfwgator]

"Oh, the humanity!"

[Georgia Girl 2]

Tail gate party. Fire up the barbie.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

I didn’t see anyone else post this...so I will. Putting my tinfoil Santa hat on...

Anyone else follow earthquakes and the Jim Berkland theory of animals acting oddly (like this bird kill) prior to seismic activity? Utah is seismically active, correct? Hope it’s nothing....but...ya never know.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Birds are really stupid creatures.

The expression, "bird-brain" didn't happen along for no reason.

[Rinnwald]

Thanks, that’s as well-reasoned a reply that I have heard.

[fruser1]

I don’t know about birds, but Asians see the oarfish as a herald of earthquakes (basically a giant herring).

I collected some articles about that as a joke for my niece who lives in LA. I “warned” her that LA is due for something in Dec 2011:

The first is an article about the “omen”, 1 year in advance of the big Japan quake (where nuclear reactor scrammed).

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/7365076/Oarfish-omen-spells-earthquake-disaster-for-Japan.html

Second is about a volcano in Scandanavia

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/24/news/la-trb-ash-cloud-airline-waivers-20110524

Preceded one year by (yes, an oarfish washup)

http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,694654,00.html

and finally, an oarfish washes up in LA, Dec 2010.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/12/oarfish-malibu-deep-ocean-rare.html

So, if true, LA is due for something soon.

[spaced]

“Can anyone find something that grackles will dive into and kill themselves?”

Or pigeons? I hate pigeons!

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Now on sale in our frozen food department:
Grebes marked down to $1.25/LB (while quantities last)

[Calvin Locke]

Grackles, Starlings, Lemming-Stream-Media types...

[mmanager]

Divers (Golden eyes, Mergansers, Ringnecks, Canvasback, Elder, Redhead and Bufflehead)actually dive down and catch fish (taste fishy). Shovelers/Spoonbills scoop off of the water (taste muddy). Puddle ducks (Mallards, Pintail, Widgeon, Teal and Gadwall, Wood Ducks and Black Ducks)just rest on lakes and rivers. Puddle ducks go to grain fields such as corn, millet, wheat and smart-weed for feed. As far as a duck goes they are the best eating.

[Tax-chick]

Lots of barbecue sauce.

I like your tagline!

[Calvin Locke]

In the finer dining establishments, pigeons are marketed as “Squab”, if you’re interested in taking culinary revenge.