You call that a spider? This is a spider!
From the archive: published Oct 24, 2008, 18 years ago. Details may have changed since.
An Australian spider has captured the worlds imagination after it was caught eating a bird. The golden silk orb-weavers (genus Nephila) are a genus of spiders noted for the impressive webs they weave.
The spider is common in Asia, Australia and North America, so the notion that this is a uniquely Australian thing doesn’t add up. However, Yes, I’ve seen spiders like this. No, I’ve never seen one eat a bird.