Mid-city pelicans have UK’s Queen as their neighbour

London / DPA

Almost as soon as Malcolm Kerr has thrown the mackerel, it has disappeared down Tiffany the pelican’s throat.
It almost looks as if the bird has sucked the fish in as it passes – unchewed – down its neck, making a large bump as it does so. Tiffany is particularly hungry today and Kerr has to make sure that her two friends, Gargi and Ayla, also get enough to eat.
The trio live in central London – right next to Buckingham Palace, on a rock on “Duck Island” in St James’s Park. Pelicans have a long tradition here, starting in 1684, when the Russian ambassador gifted King Charles II the first ones. The water birds are now bought from zoos.
The only time they’ve left the park was during World War II when they went to live at London Zoo, and they returned at the end of the war.
They’re now a big tourist attraction.” One of our pelicans was especially trusting because he was brought up by people. He thought he was a person too. He always sat down on benches next to the tourists,” says Kerr, who has been caring for the park’s animals since 1975.
Another pelican used to go through the sliding door of a nearby restaurant in order to pilfer food from the tables.
Dressed in blue overalls, Kerr goes to the island every day at 2.30 pm to feed the pelicans. Each bird gets 10 to 12 fish a day, mackerels and sardines from the sea around England. Every fish contains a vitamin tablet.
“The birds can get to 55 years old,” says Kerr, though recently, he says, a pelican that was just 20 died of heart problems.
“Nobody knows where he came from. He probably flew from France over the English Channel.” The exotic animals are indifferent to the chilly English winter.
“When we humans freeze, we get goose pimples. When the pelicans freeze they pump more blood to the roots of their feathers to warm their surface. The skin goes red and you can see it shimmering pink underneath their white feathers.” On this December afternoon, the pelicans have had their fill. Kerr’s bucket is empty and the trio sets off towards the water to digest their fishy dinner in the middle of London’s royal park.