Diving Pelican slams into Swimmer, Dies

A pelican crashed into a 50-year-old woman, who was swimming in a sea off Florida. The bird, apparently diving for its quarry – fish, died and the woman was left with a wide gash on her face. She was treated at a local hospital.

Debbie Shoemaker of Toledo, Ohio, was bathing on Thursday near Treasure Island, a beach community west of St. Petersburg, when she was jolted by something that hit her face real hard.

Astoundingly, it turned out to be a pelican, whose large beak ripped through her cheek. It was a strange incident and the city fire chief said he had never heard of a diving pelican hit a person.

The lady’s cut was later corrected with 25 stitches. The collision cost the bird, its life. Reports suggest that it died on impact. Shoemaker was given pain medicine and antibiotics and has been asked not to eat solid foods for sometime.

Pelicans can grow to up to 30lb (13kg) and are known for their distinctive long bills and droopy pouches. They are capable of diving from heights of 60 to 70 feet (18 to 21 metres).

On spotting a fish, the pelicans dive straight down, with their beak going first, said Anita Pinder, director of development at Sanibel Island’s Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, which works a lot with pelicans.

“He either saw a fish and went for it or mistook her for a fish. I think the former is much more likely,” Pinder said. "The person had nothing to do with it; she was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time because they pelicans clearly do not attack.”

The housecleaner from Ohio, who vacations in Florida about twice a year, returned home on Friday.