Sea Otter Attacking a Western Grebe

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In December during my last Sea Otter Photo Tour we witnessed some very rare Sea Otter behavior. We witnessed not just once, but twice a Sea Otter attacking a Western Grebe and then eating it. This is very unusual behavior as Sea Otters normally eat shellfish like crabs and clams. The boat captain that took us out had noted an attack he witnessed earlier in the morning and that he hadn’t seen anything like it in 13 years.

Last weekend I went back out and noticed several Western Grebe tails and wings floating in the water. I’m not sure if this spike in bird attacks is the result of aggressive juvenile males or a reflection of a disruption in the food chain. In the instance documented below it seemed as though the Sea Otter was playing with the bird rather than hunting it outright. As I can I’m planning to head back out in the near future to keep an eye on this trend.

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The next image is a little more graphic definitive proof Sea Otters eat birds.

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Technorati Tags: California, Sea Otter, Western Grebe, wildlife, attack, Monterey, Stock Photo, Aechmophorus occidentalis, Enhydra lutris

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Posted by Jim on 01.07.2009 at 3:27 am
Tagged: California, Locations, Monterey, Photography, Stock Photo, Wildlife , Photography, Stock Photo, Wildlife

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Thomas

That's an incredible series of images clearly indicating that sea otters do feast on Grebe. Gruesome but that's nature. Beautifully documented Jim

MS

Hi Jim and others -
There are two published scientifc papers on sea otters eating seabirds. We see it off and on in Elkhorn Slough (Moss Landing CA) but in the past it has also been seen at Point Lobos and Del Monte Beach in Monterey. Generally it seems to be a few indivduals who have developed this behavior which also includes loons and scoters. In general otters eat over 60 species of invertebrates, and in Alaska fish occasionally.

Jim Goldstein

@Gary thanks. This was a new one for me as well. I'm waiting to hear back from a contact at the Monterey Bay Aquarium to see how out of the ordinary or how ordinary this behavior is.
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@Mark LOL I didn't see a rock being used nor a spear or harpoon. They seemed to come up from underneath and ambush the bird. The otter photographed seemed to be toying with the bird. It wasn't a quick end for the Grebe.
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@Jeff I too have heard about the river otters in Marin eating birds. As noted this was a bit of a surprise.

Jeff Wall

This is quite remarkable. I've read many reports of River Otters eating birds at Rodeo Lagoon in Marin Co. For several years they've been taking approximately a bird a day, mainly Brown Pelicans. Never heard of Sea Otters doing the same thing.

Mark

Wow, Never heard of this either. Did he crack the bird with a rock? :-) Thanks for sharing this.

Gary Crabbe / Enlightened Imag

Jim,
Congrats on the very cool coverage. I'd never heard of them going after birds.

Jim

@Rebecca Thanks for the additional info. Rebecca has a great write up and photo of our explanation of the slough by canoe this past weekend on her blog. Definitely worth of checking out.
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@Kendaly Interesting to hear. Definitely reference Rebecca's comment in case you see or know of other sick pelicans.
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@Michele Thanks for the comment. Keep an eye out if the behavior isn't that out of the norm you might yet see this behavior still. It might just be a matter of time.
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@John I've added a 4th picture to the set. Otters eat like every other creature :) The 4th photo in the set is proof of that.

Rebecca Jackrel

A friend in the Education department of the Marine Mammal Center said that this is actually not unusual behavior. Sea Otters are known to eat over 60 different species of creatures from birds and small mammals to clams and starfish. The fact that the otter didn't tuck in and chow down right then... at one point he pulled the bird on to his stomach and hit it as he would a clam, is more consistent with a juvenile that doesn't quite know how to open up these weird feathered clams. Based on the tails and wings we saw from the canoe I'd say he figured it out eventually.

As for the Pelican illness Kendaly mentions above, please report any sightings of sick pelicans to the toll-free California Wildlife Hotline 866-WILD-911. Visit ibrrc.org for updates. They are trying to figure out what is causing the illness.

Kendaly Shimer

Amazing. Something's amiss.
I saw a lone Brown Pelican on the runway at LAX yesterday surrounded by large crows. They are sick and vunerable. Marine Wildlife Rescue, in San Pedro, is trying to find out the cause.

Michele

I have been out to Morro Bay to view/photograph the Otters and have not seen this type of behavior yet. I hope not to. I wonder if there food supply is short, so they are now going after birds for there meals????