Seagull Attack On Kids Prompt Officials To Declare School Lockdown: Why Birds Of Prey Went Wild?
A town in Wales sought desperate measures recently when it came under attack by a band of angry birds of prey. Like the classic flick, locals came under siege when seagulls suddenly began attacking terrified children.
According to a Metro News report, the primary school, Ysgol Eifion Wyn, in Porthmadog, declared a school lockdown when seagulls began dive-bombing students at the facility. Reportedly, at least on two occasions, seagulls or herring gulls swooped down and targeted the heads of pupils, parents and administrators. Caregivers expressed fears over dropping off children and sought school intervention.
Thankfully, officials reacted as soon as they learned of the bird attacks. Unlike another unrelated incident where seagulls went bonkers after “tripping on acid” (from the consumption of flying ants chock full of the chemical), the seagulls in the Wales attack were likely being protective of their young.
Sources say the birds are nesting atop the school’s roof and likely thought humans posed threats to their chicks. Still, parents say officials must do more to relocate the nests safely to prevent future attacks.
Readers of the seagull attack were quick to point out how the incident conjured up comparisons to the Birds movie, which starred Tippi Hedren, Suzanne Pleshette, and Rod Taylor. The 1963 Alfred Hitchcock-directed thriller explores how a sleepy Northern California community comes under attack by angry birds after a wealthy socialite set her eyes on a potential suitor, according to IMDb.
Seagulls were part of the massive flock of birds that viciously attacked and killed people over a few days in the movie. Thankfully, the classic is a work of fiction.
School on lockdown after seagulls attack pupils https://t.co/zizlwBwFKO pic.twitter.com/QhMmgIWj3o
— Cristóbal Delatorre (@CristoFeliz1) June 25, 2017
Sometimes, the tables can turn and things can go badly in a hurry — even in the animal kingdom. It occurred in June of 2015, and thanks to a quick-thinking photographer, a rare aerial bird battle was caught on camera between a bald eagle and two seagulls.
While on an Alaska excursion, a University of San Antonio graduate, David Canales, kept his social media followers abreast with images from his trip. While cruising along Alaska’s Prince William Sound, the “life and death struggle” event occurred between the birds of prey. He described the mid-air duel as the eagle, an apex predator, was attacked by at least two seagulls after the larger bird made off with a nest companion.
“One of the most epic sights I’ve ever seen. Had just switched on my 400mm lens seconds before I captured this on my kayak. Eagles in Valdez don’t mess around.”
The images show two seagulls dive-bombing the eagle to free their companion. At the same time, the desperate and hapless gull tried to wrench itself away from the eagle’s sharp talons — to no avail.
The Department of Interior posted the dramatic images on its Facebook page. According to a spokesperson, the ending was bitter and sweet (bad for the seagull, but good for the eagle).
[Featured Image by Elena Rostunova/Shutterstock]
