Florida sea birds almost killed by beer cans slipped over their necks BIG PINE KEY, Fla., March 5 (UPI) -- A guest at a fishing lodge in the Florida Keys rescued two sea birds, a gull and a brown pelican, that had beer cans around their necks, authorities say. Maya Totman, head of Florida Keys Wildlife Rescue, said that both birds would have starved to death if they had continued to wear their metal collars, The Miami Herald reported. Greg Vogel, who was staying at the Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge, used his Swiss army knife Monday to free them from the Busch Light cans. The can around the gull's neck could have been slipped over its head, Totman said. But she said the can on the pelican had to be altered so the head could be forced through it and the job would probably have required two people because of its size. "I've been here since 1993 and I've never seen anything like this," Totman said. It's sickening. She said the pelican was suffering from avian botulism, which would have made it easier to handle. Both birds are recovering. The lodge has set up an informal watch on sea birds in its area in an effort to prevent any future attacks on them, Totman said.