Trips

Don’t Lick the Pied-billed Grebes

December 27, 2012 by Corey 8 Comments

I was pretty happy with the Pied-billed Grebe shot I shared yesterday. But I took things to a whole new level today. You see, it is a little-known fact that licking Pied-billed Grebes can cause some crazy hallucinations, much like licking certain amphibians. After hearing tales of such activities from more experienced birders I decided to try it today for the first time while visiting Legoland with the family and all I can say is “WOW!”

Desi might be scarred for life after watching his father experience the insanity of tripping on Pied-billed Grebe secretions.

Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps

This is a Pied-billed Grebe just prior to its being licked. (Click to embiggen.)

Pied-billed Grebe

Shortly after licking a Pied-billed Grebe the visual hallucinations start.

Pied-billed Grebe

The colors become more and more intense

Pied-billed Grebe

Eventually the Pied-billed Grebe licker can barely function and becomes little more than a gibbering fool.

Pied-billed Grebe

The colors! The colors! They burn my eyes! (Click to embiggen.)

Eventually I was forcibly escorted from Legoland, multi-colored water dripping from my body. This is an epic vacation!

Written by Corey
Corey is a New Yorker who lived most of his life in upstate New York but has lived in Queens since 2008. He's only been birding since 2005 but has garnered a respectable life list by birding whenever he wasn't working as a union representative or spending time with his family. He lives in Forest Hills with Daisy and Desmond Shearwater. His bird photographs have appeared on the Today Show, in Birding, Living Bird Magazine, Bird Watcher's Digest, and many other fine publications. He is also the author of the American Birding Association Field Guide to the Birds of New York.