A small plane became a chimera of gore when its propellors sliced through a flock of birds, covering the aircraft in blood.
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Mark Schwantes, a 48-year-old big game hunter and commercial fishing captain, was preparing to board a small plane bound for the picturesque Anchorage, Alaska, on September 26. Just before takeoff, he spotted a flock of willow ptarmigan, the state bird of Alaska, he told SWNS.
“Typically, they scatter when a plane starts up, but this time, they lingered a bit too long,” Schwantes recalled to the outlet per The New York Post.
However, some of the flock of birds had a date with destiny, choosing to rebel against the metal-plated fellow flyer.
“Just as we were going airborne, about half a dozen flew up in front of us and hit the propeller,” Schwantes recounted.
Of course, Schwantes knew the birds were no match for the plane and calmly watched the carnage unfold. The plane flew on without any visible damage. However, it was covered in blood, feathers, and the remains of the flock of willow ptarmigan.
Birds go splat during recent Alaska flight! 😫 pic.twitter.com/d0kdV2yAGO
— HOAGIE LOVER (@CO_WFlanagan69) November 10, 2024
Despite the orgy of death, the big game hunter was mostly bemused.
“I was very surprised this has never happened to me before on all the bush takeoffs I’ve done,” Schwantes added. “It’s just one of those things you might see out here.”
The Internet Reacts to the Gory Scene of an Airplane Covered in the Blood of Birds
However, denizens of the Internet were much more enthusiastic about the images of the bird blood-spattered plane.
“Oh man, that’s gnarly,” one X user wrote upon seeing the images. “Ouch,” a second user added. Meanwhile, a third user tagged PETA in the post.
“Are there any Willow Ptarmigan left now?” yesterday another user quipped.
However, those concerned about the number of willow ptarmigan in Alaska need not worry.
The willow ptarmigan, commonly found in its remote habitat, is classified as a species of “Least Concern” by the IUCN. Despite suspicions of a slight decline in its numbers, this bird has an extensive range, with an estimated total population of around forty million.
The willow ptarmigan was designated as Alaska’s state bird in 1955 and also serves as the regional bird of Southern Lapland.