When a little seagull flew past a store in Ohio one day and spotted a fish, it was love at first sight – whether that walleye is real or not! For the bird, it was evident immediately clear: this fish would be his – no matter what the cost!
And so began a curious robbery, with which the feathered animal kept the inhabitants of the small town in a good mood.
As Kylie Gospodarek, owner of the shoplifted business told the American animal magazine The Dodo, the gray gull was one of the young birds just learning to fly. « He was just a late bloomer, » she smiled.
« The roofs of our city are notorious for the brood of seagulls… and when the babies first learn to fly, they don’t quite make it, so they wander the streets. »
During one of these wanderings, the little bird seems to have become aware of the stuffed animal. « The first time he came into the shop and grabbed the pike-perch, but was shooed out of the shop before he managed to steal it. »
However, giving up was not an option for the seagull. And so she snuck into the store again and again until – on her fourth try – she finally succeeded!
« I had about six customers with me who noticed him and said, ‘Hey, does this belong here?' » Gospodarek smiled. « I already knew who he was so we ran around our window to herd him out the door. He just grabbed the fish and managed to leave the shop. »
Together, the manager and her buyers set out to catch up with the seagull and eventually found it in the middle of the street with the stuffed fish in its beak.
It took them quite a while to work together to lead the bird onto the sidewalk, where it did so Eventually dropped the toy, and flew away. « A lot of people wanted me to give it to him, but I don’t think they realized he wanted to eat it, » Gospodarek said.
In the days that followed, the little bird kept sneaking up to the shop but turned back every time it saw a person.
Almost a week has passed since the last visit and Gospodarek is certain: the little cheeky rascal has now learned to fly and has already encountered one or the other real fish on his journey.