Watch a Hungry Pelican Attempt to Eat a Capybara and Fail Miserably

Ever tried to eat a burger and then realized it’s just too big to fit in your mouth? Then you’ll know how this pelican felt when it had a go at eating a capybara. Meanwhile, the chilled-out little mammal seems completely unfazed by the experience. By the end of the clip, the unlucky bird is looking a little depressed!

Watch to See This Pelican Pick on the Wrong Mammal

What Do Pelicans Usually Eat?

Pelicans are large birds with a unique bill. When fully grown, their wingspan can reach over nine feet. There are eight main species. One is the American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) which is recognizable by its brilliant white plumage.

Pelicans are carnivores and need to catch and eat other animals to stay alive so the individual in this clip got that right at least. However, as water birds, their main diet item is fish. Each species of pelican has their favorite fish dish but you can expect to find carp, shiners, mullet, and minnows on the menu for many of them.

That said, they are opportunistic feeders and will also eat crustaceans, insects, and other birds. They can eat mammals but they have to be small – nothing as large as a capybara. Pelicans are known for experimenting with what they can get into their mouths and there are even reports of them trying, and failing, to eat cats!

Which Animals Prey on Capybaras?

Capybaras are large and semi-aquatic rodents native to parts of Central and South America. They are well adapted to life in and around water and have webbed skin between their toes. There are actually two species of capybara and the largest can grow to over four feet in length.

A capybara’s body is stocky and they have excellent sight, hearing, and smell – even when they are in the water. This helps them to see predators coming. As they are herbivores, they do not need to see prey, they feed on aquatic plants, tubers, barks, and grasses.

Being a fairly slow and gentle animal, they are a popular target for a number of predators. Consequently, you’ll see jaguars, ocelots, and pumas stalking these guys regularly. However, it’s not just the wild cat species that they need to worry about. Many younger ones are caught by caimans and eagles and several large species of snakes, including the anaconda view them as food. In parts of South America, their meat is considered a delicacy by humans too.