Dead pigeon around my walkway area | edit: neighbor saw it

[AkumaX]

So there's this dead pigeon in a small grassy area, and only 1/2 of its lower body was left (torso down). Feathers everywhere. I go clean it up, and pick it up by its tail. Surprisingly, the head was still intact, and all that was left of the upper half was the spinal column attached to the head. What kind of predator/scavenger does this?

P.S. no pics, its already in the dumpster. (unless I get like 200 replies asking for pics...)

/blog.anandtech.com

edit: ghetto mspaint job (of course, should be required for every ATOT post)

edit2: neighbor saw it earlier in the morning, said it was a hawk :awe:

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Dog, coyote, cat and many others. What kind of bite marks were there?

 

[lxskllr]

Kids....

 

[JPS35]

Zombies, Nosferatu, Lich, and other assorted undead...The fact that the head was left would lead me to believe that it was a Zombie.

On the other hand, you might have already identified it when you said "predator...". Sounds like you may have interruped the Predator prior to it being able to take the skull and backbone for its trophy. Time to call the Gubernator...

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Why post a pic when you covered the only area that might have clues? Not that I have an urge to peruse pigeon giblets.

 

[brainhulk]

chinese were probably thinking about eating it

 

[Narmer]

Probably a hawk.

 

[Wyndru]

Not sure what did it, but here is the link. I think it is a hawk that does it.

http://www.restavfall.se/blog/2007/12/07/fagel-overlever-en-grym-hok-attack/

Below is the pic of the attacker.

 

[dud]

OP, I can be sunbathing in my back yard in February with Mourning Doves eating seed that I've thrown out for them and then all of the sudden on is gone ... leaving a pile of feathers.

The culprit is almost always a hawk.

 

[IcePickFreak]

Whoa an undead pigeon! That's pretty crazy that it lived, at least long enough for that picture. Makes sense it would of been a hawk as it probably rips it's throat out to kill it (unless it's a badass pigeon like the one above), and then probably dropped it while flying it back to a nest or something. Smaller birds will gang up on birds of prey if they come around nesting areas so the hawk could of been getting dive bombed and had to drop it's food to gtfo.

 

[7window]

chinese do eat pigeon btw. I've had it when I went to taiwan. It is very tasty.

 

[preslove]

chinese do eat pigeon btw. I've had it when I went to taiwan. It is very tasty.

The french, too!

 

[lxskllr]

I've had dove, and it's very good. I don't know why a pigeon wouldn't taste good too.

 

[7window]

That picture is insane.

Dove and quail eggs. MMMMMMM century egg. MMMMMMMMM

 

[CZroe]

Why post a pic when you covered the only area that might have clues? Not that I have an urge to peruse pigeon giblets.

Are you really that stupid? It's a random pic of a dead bird. Duh. He said "no pics" and that one shows neither the grassy area nor the dumpster mentioned.

Whoa an undead pigeon! That's pretty crazy that it lived, at least long enough for that picture. Makes sense it would of been a hawk as it probably rips it's throat out to kill it (unless it's a badass pigeon like the one above), and then probably dropped it while flying it back to a nest or something. Smaller birds will gang up on birds of prey if they come around nesting areas so the hawk could of been getting dive bombed and had to drop it's food to gtfo.

The "badass...one above" is not a "pigeon."

 

[mmntech]

Hawk probably. Throw it over the fence, let Arby's worry about it.

 

[0roo0roo]

u got nothin on this man
http://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/leopard-seal-pulling-the-head-right-off-a-penguin.jpeg
nothin.

 

[IcePickFreak]

The "badass...one above" is not a "pigeon."

Fair enough, on second look it does look to be bigger than typical pigeons/doves. But, I wasn't too concerned about spending any time to ID the species for simple funny quip, especially when it looks pretty similar. If you want to research and classify it's exact phylum have at it and I'll gladly edit my post for any references of an undead "pigeon".

 

[dighn]

u got nothin on this man
http://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/leopard-seal-pulling-the-head-right-off-a-penguin.jpeg
nothin.

*barf*

 

[Ika]

u got nothin on this man
http://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/leopard-seal-pulling-the-head-right-off-a-penguin.jpeg
nothin.

what the fuuuuuuuuuck holy shit.

 

[destrekor]

u got nothin on this man
http://svpow.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/leopard-seal-pulling-the-head-right-off-a-penguin.jpeg
nothin.

holy shit

That seal ripped the spinal column right out of the body.

That would be interesting to see the rest of the body spine-less afterward.
Just so damn weird.

 

[Imp]

Not sure what did it, but here is the link. I think it is a hawk that does it.

http://www.restavfall.se/blog/2007/12/07/fagel-overlever-en-grym-hok-attack/

Below is the pic of the attacker.

How the eff is that thing still alive and walking around?

 

[Nik]

How the eff is that thing still alive and walking around?

birds, like many other animals, are 90% fluff and 10% actual animal. It's a fundamental of their ability to fly.

 

[CZroe]

Fair enough, on second look it does look to be bigger than typical pigeons/doves. But, I wasn't too concerned about spending any time to ID the species for simple funny quip, especially when it looks pretty similar. If you want to research and classify it's exact phylum have at it and I'll gladly edit my post for any references of an undead "pigeon".

Common pigeons have a very distinctive beak. There's a big fat ridge over the top.

 

[0roo0roo]

holy shit

That seal ripped the spinal column right out of the body.

That would be interesting to see the rest of the body spine-less afterward.
Just so damn weird.

om nom!

lol yea, the thing is they don't chew, they tear bits off the body so yea, I guess ripping the head off is one fast way to get at the good bits.

http://www.towleroad.com/2009/11/photographer-adopted-rather-than-attacked-by-leopard-seal.html
funny situation where a giant leopard seal kept offering penguins to a diver....