Although I have avoided such experimentation
myself, I have seen it done and it is not pretty. The seagull is not
naturally inclined to have a gas buildup on the stomach and has no
built-in mechanism for getting rid of one (I am sure you can think of a
few that you have). Since the gases caused by the alka seltzer could not
be released, the stomach would explode, killing the bird within seconds
of eating the tablet. Unfortunately, the alka seltzers seem to look
pretty tasty to the gulls and they usually will catch and eat one thrown
to them.


I wonder if it works on Penguins? j/k

 

Alternate theory

Question: Can birds burp? I use to live near South Padre Island and it is reported that if you feed a sea gull an Alka Seltzer tablet they will explode.

Answer:

It is an old urban myth that seagulls will explode if they eat an Alka Seltzer. We burp because gaseous byproducts are produced in digestion and forced up through the esophagus (See KidsHealth for a good explanation). Birds have a different digestive system than humans, though they do have an esophagus and are capable of burping. Birds have no teeth and many swallow their food whole or hold it in their crop to regurgitate.

For more of bird digestion see Colorado State University's online biomedical textbook, which includes a chapter on the Digestive Physiology of Birds

It isn't a good idea to feed seagulls, though, for many reasons. Birds Eat the Darnedest Things as this article from Birdwatcher's Digest describes.

 

Sounds like to me.

 

 

 

Leave the ing penguins alone!