A seagull has survived being struck at high speed and trapped in a car's grille for several miles on a motorway. The driver was unaware of the bird's presence until after he had parked.
He was alerted to the situation by a friend and returned to his car to find the seagull protruding from beneath his number plate. The incident occurred on the A1(M) en route to Darlington, County Durham. Following the discovery, the driver contacted Darlington Bird Rescue.
Despite the arduous journey, the rescue organization reported that the bird's injuries were minimal. The seagull is expected to require rest and painkillers in the coming days. Darlington Bird Rescue noted in a social media post that the bird had become "wedged pretty darn good" but, miraculously, had no broken bones. Its wings and legs were unharmed, although its back was sore. The bird sustained only minor scrapes on its legs and damaged feathers, with a single spot of blood from a broken feather.
The rescue clinic stated that the bird would be closely monitored and provided with ample food to aid its recovery from the close call.
This incident follows a similar event last year where a pheasant survived for 24 hours trapped in a car's radiator grille. In that case, a mechanic had to dismantle the vehicle's undercarriage to free the bird, which had been hit by the car's owner when spotted on the road. The driver initially assumed the pheasant had flown away after she didn't see it upon stopping.