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Post by fuzzyone on Jan 9, 2015 8:34:36 GMT
This seems like an accurate portrayal of Seagulls, from what I've seen of them... I tend to call them flying bastards, though. Thankfully they don't show up around my location in enough numbers to exert their group theft tactics. Still get a few, which is surprising, being so far inland.
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Post by Covalent on Jan 9, 2015 8:36:01 GMT
OK, that seagull eye is seriously creeping me out.
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Post by sidhekin on Jan 9, 2015 10:38:23 GMT
Who's the toughest to come?
Eagle?
Swan?
Ostrich?
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Post by foresterr on Jan 9, 2015 13:08:03 GMT
This seems like an accurate portrayal of Seagulls, from what I've seen of them... I tend to call them flying bastards, though. Thankfully they don't show up around my location in enough numbers to exert their group theft tactics. Still get a few, which is surprising, being so far inland. If you are a seagull, a landfill is just as good a base of operations as any sea! |
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Post by fuzzyone on Jan 9, 2015 13:49:36 GMT
Indeed. Once, during my career as a surveyor, I passed a landfill... THOUSANDS of Seagulls were hovering over it. I live in Tennessee. For those not acquainted with the layout of the United States, Tennessee is several hundred miles away from the ocean at its nearest point. The nearest one to my location, roughly in the middle, is around 7 hours by car at Interstate speeds. Flying Bastards will range far looking for food, apparently.
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Post by ctso74 on Jan 9, 2015 14:20:18 GMT
Who's the toughest to come? Eagle? Swan? Ostrich? I'd go with ostrich. Years ago, I had a friend with exotic pets. One day, he needed help moving an emu to a new pen. Terrible hijinks ensued. So big, so mean, so Jurassic Park-like. Not exactly on ostrich, but I wouldn't want to tangle with either. |
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Post by Per on Jan 9, 2015 15:26:47 GMT
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Post by sidhekin on Jan 9, 2015 15:30:21 GMT
Um, yeah. Exotic. The question was not so much one of toughness, as one of inclusion in City Face's Book of Birds.
Too exotic?
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Post by Per on Jan 9, 2015 15:32:52 GMT
Cenozoic Jones guest appearance?
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Post by philman on Jan 9, 2015 16:23:54 GMT
Cenozoic Jones guest appearance? Of maybe cityface's brand new friend, Aly? |
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Post by Sky Schemer on Jan 9, 2015 18:46:43 GMT
In terms of common birds seen in and around cities, I think we'll be getting to geese soon. They are big, tough, and can be pretty aggressive. I believe it's a myth that they can break arms, but they can deal out a serious blow.
Maybe he'll do herons--those beaks are scary--but so far it seems City Face is sticking to urban birds.
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Post by KartoffelnMcNugget on Jan 9, 2015 21:18:17 GMT
I'd go with ostrich. Years ago, I had a friend with exotic pets. One day, he needed help moving an emu to a new pen. Terrible hijinks ensued. So big, so mean, so Jurassic Park-like. Not exactly on ostrich, but I wouldn't want to tangle with either. Had you ever heard about cassowarys? |
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gary
Full Member
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Post by gary on Jan 9, 2015 21:38:53 GMT
Had you ever heard about cassowarys? I wish you followers of the church of new guinea would stop proselytising for once. Not all of us believe in your human kicking messiah or that he will usher in a better world for all aviankind. |
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Post by SilverbackRon on Jan 10, 2015 1:58:30 GMT
I am guessing for geese or ducks coming up soon. And I can't help but hearing City Face's bird commentary in the voice of Vin Diesel |
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Post by fuzzyone on Jan 10, 2015 6:16:51 GMT
I know Tom put that, but it doesn't stop him from sounding like Stephen Fry in my head. Or Eric Idle.
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Post by Ophel on Jan 10, 2015 11:06:01 GMT
Ah yes, the seagull. I got pooped on, during one of my few travels, twice by these birds. (Turkish superstition dictates that this meant I was quite lucky. The entire trip was a blast! So I can't exactly refute.) Also, sidhekin, I would go for either a Condor, or if things get supernatural, the Thunderbird (with Roc/Rukh coming behind in second, if included). Edit: Per, that picture reminded me of the manga "Cage of Eden", a story that I cannot say is suitable for children but entertaining nonetheless. (It's completed, btw). |
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Post by philman on Jan 10, 2015 15:24:24 GMT
I am expecting Duck, but maybe not goose, they aren't really a city bird, at least not in the UK. Sparrow would be another obvious choice. Maybe Budgie too (there were a few that escaped/were released into the wild in the UK, and turned out to be surprisingly successful, there are wild colonies of them in various cities now)
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Post by sidhekin on Jan 10, 2015 15:48:50 GMT
Yeah, I've seen more swans than ducksgeese in cities. (And Norway isn't that far from Britain.)
There are not many eagles in town either, but I imagine even a city bird would be foolish to ignore them.
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Post by Per on Jan 10, 2015 16:57:23 GMT
Mallards are very common here around streams and ponds. Canada geese can also be found in parkland near water while swans are rare. Then again I wouldn't have pegged the raven as a city bird either; I'd expect to find rooks on the outskirts before ravens.
Other common city birds here include jackdaw, blackbird, fieldfare and various small birds like house sparrow and tree sparrow.
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Rea
Junior Member
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Post by Rea on Jan 11, 2015 11:38:49 GMT
I live in Birmingham (same as Tom I think) and seagulls are a common sight around the city centre (although there's no sea). I've even seen one eat a pigeon. No wonder City Face is scared of them.
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Post by warrl on Jan 11, 2015 19:28:45 GMT
In terms of common birds seen in and around cities, I think we'll be getting to geese soon. They are big, tough, and can be pretty aggressive. I believe it's a myth that they can break arms, but they can deal out a serious blow. There are records of people being killed by swans. Usually involving an impact between the person's head and the first joint in the bird's wing. I don't doubt that some of the larger varieties of geese could break an arm in similar fashion. Mallards are very common here around streams and ponds. Canada geese can also be found in parkland near water while swans are rare. Then again I wouldn't have pegged the raven as a city bird either; I'd expect to find rooks on the outskirts before ravens. It wouldn't be surprising for a Brit to think of ravens as city birds. And I believe swans are more common in Britain than in most of the US. |
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Post by Sky Schemer on Jan 11, 2015 21:08:26 GMT
There are records of people being killed by swans. Usually involving an impact between the person's head and the first joint in the bird's wing. I don't doubt that some of the larger varieties of geese could break an arm in similar fashion. It wouldn't be surprising for a Brit to think of ravens as city birds. And I believe swans are more common in Britain than in most of the US.Swans tend to be much larger than geese. I guess it depends if the smaller swans (which are the size of the largest geese) are the ones with known kills.  In a short-but-not-brief search I wasn't able to find any verified accounts of geese actually breaking arms with their wings, but I found plenty of reports of people being seriously hurt by them. I certainly wouldn't mess with an angry swan that was defending its nest. Or a goose. If swans are indeed more common in Britain than the U.S. then I'll expand my prediction to swan and/or goose. |
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Post by sapientcoffee on Jan 12, 2015 3:02:47 GMT
I'm putting a vote in for starlings, the murmurating bastards. (Though I think it's neat how much they resemble a school of fish.) There's a couple intersections here that they utterly swamp. I'm no expert on birds of Britain, but can't help but wonder if this will be the occasion when we finally see some tits on GC. (sorry  ) Possibly, although they aren't renowned as the most fighty or tough of birds, unlike robins and crows! They're chatty and noisy though, esp. if they roost outside your window! (Same with mockingbirds) (relevant Digger comic)  |
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Post by fwip on Jan 12, 2015 8:05:31 GMT
I'm making the post that would count as making the thread if we had a new thread for each page. [1459] they kill snakes] which are those round things, or something. |
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sotha
Full Member
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Post by sotha on Jan 12, 2015 8:14:11 GMT
Secretary birds are cool. I'm happy for City Face.
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Post by arf on Jan 12, 2015 8:18:56 GMT
Geese? I note someone has invoked Dread Bullockyornis, aka The Demon Duck of Doom, aka 'Petie'.
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Post by sidhekin on Jan 12, 2015 10:12:47 GMT
... now those are exotic!
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Post by ctso74 on Jan 12, 2015 14:22:06 GMT
I'm imagining the Metal Gear Solid alert sounding off, and their feathered heads popping up at attention. "Du-nu-luh!"
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Post by Covalent on Jan 12, 2015 15:37:42 GMT
OK, I'm not gonna lie here: that's a pretty sexy-looking bird.
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Shire
Junior Member
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Post by Shire on Jan 12, 2015 16:33:35 GMT
City Face isn't wrong about secretary birds being ultra tough. They're like eagles on stilts. A single kick from one of them can shatter a human hand!
And you'd think, what with them being all legs, that they'd be flightless. But, no, they can totally fly. Watch out, City Face!
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In a short-but-not-brief search I wasn't able to find any verified accounts of geese actually breaking arms with their wings, but I found plenty of reports of people being seriously hurt by them. I certainly wouldn't mess with an angry swan that was defending its nest. Or a goose.
) 
