YES! So this is at one of the parks in London, near the Palace. There is a small flock of these pelicans that live there (also coots and many different types of goose and duck). This has happened more than once! The pelicans and geese beg for food in this grassy area, and there are always pigeons hanging around looking for scraps. Every once in a while, a pelican is, all, "Why be satisfied with stale bread?"
I have hung out there for HOURS at a time on several trips and never seen it, to my immense disappointment.
This was horrific. Worse was the footage in an Attenborough documentary (Life, 2009) where a similar bird waits for adult birds from a nearby colony to leave in search of food; the pelicans swoop in on the abandoned chicks, and swallow them live.
They then fly to their own young and regurgitate the still living, partially digested chicks as food.
@caitlinburke Finally took a look at that linked album. Those are some beautiful shots, especially the duck taking flight and the duck(s?) splashing. And some titles were Mlkshk-worthy, five years early!
I have hung out there for HOURS at a time on several trips and never seen it, to my immense disappointment.
They then fly to their own young and regurgitate the still living, partially digested chicks as food.