Watch a Great Blue Heron Spear a Rodent Hiding Underground With Pinpoint Accuracy
The sound effects of this clip are just as impressive as the visual quality. It shows a hunting a small rodent. We can’t even see the little mammal hiding in its hole – but the heron can and that is what matters! It swings back its powerful neck and hurls its sharp beak at the prey with phenomenal speed and accuracy. The poor creature does not stand a chance. The bird then wrestles the rodent from the surrounding vegetation, drops it, and then spears it again. At this point, the prey is still alive. Finally, it drops the rodent one last time so that it can deliver a killer blow. It looks as if the final attack severs the prey’s spine so it stops moving. Scroll down to see the full impressive but brutal footage.
What Do Great Blue Herons Normally Eat?
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We normally think of but, as we see in this clip, that is not the full picture. Herons in general are not limited to a fish diet. They are perfectly capable of hunting amphibians, reptiles, insects, mammals, and even other birds. So, you will see them eating lizards, shrimp, crabs, dragonflies, and rodents.
They usually live near freshwater wetlands and typically hunt in marshes and on river and lake edges. But they are very flexible and will also hunt in mangroves, tidal mudflats and beaches as well as further inland. On the coast of Mexico, they actually hunt in the surf!
How Do Great Blue Herons Normally Hunt?
The great blue heron in this clip gives a perfect demonstration of the heron hunting technique. They stand still, either on land or in shallow water, observing the prey. Then, they throw their head and neck forward and impale the target in their beak. This is called a ‘bill stab’. Herons catch most of their food in this way and spend . Because they are so large, they can capture larger fish than other heron species.
These herons also have some unique behaviors. They can be seen hovering before dropping feet first to pick prey off the surface of the water. These herons also swim in deep water to capture prey. Herons have been spotted picking up dead fish from the surface of deep water. You can even . This is when they grab flying prey out of the air!
