The Great Blue Heron on the left above is a very common sight, of course. We know that Great Blue Herons eat fish and other aquatic life. But when I spotted the GBH on the right, I couldn’t quite tell what he had in his long sharp bill!?🧐
As the Heron lifted up his prey, I was surprised to see that it appeared to be a small mammal with a long tail, something I’d never seen before!
I began to read more about Great Blue Heron‘s dietary habits, and sure enough, ‘Great Blue Herons eat nearly anything within striking distance’ (All ABout Birds), including small mammals, such as gophers!
Gulp~!! Down the hatch . . . Alas, poor little creature. But, such is the cycle of life.
Birder's Journey 
Surf and turf!
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Lol!😅 That would’ve been an ideal title!
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Cool
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It was!
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Good captures, poor critter though. Small Alligators are a big favorite here too. Mom chases them but usually too late.
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Oh, we also see that. So sad how quickly those little baby gators get gobbled up!
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Females in the big marshes have 40+ in any year. There are a few places they hide fairly well.
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True…
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Nice bit of info, BJ! Now you’re making me hungry
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Yikes!! Thanks, Berny. I thought it was pretty interesting myself.
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I bet fur goes down easier than sharp spiny fins.
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Haha!! Good point – i’ll bet you’re right!
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Excellent series of photographs – except for the poor critter that became a meal!
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Thanks, though I know what you mean, Ann. I was actually a little hesitant to put those last two “down the hatch“ photos in!
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They finish off the set well! 🙂
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Thank you, Ann. I was glad to capture this to the final moments. 😉
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The GBH is an omnivore (Eats everything that would fit its mouth!) They eat crayfish, snakes, mice, frogs, insects, small alligators, birds, fish etc. Just don’t get too close to one, it might eat your wallet. 🙂 Great post, Carol. 🙂
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Thanks, HJ! I’ve probably seen them eat pretty much everything else on that list. But this little mammal was a first for me.
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When I see herons (or other birds, for a matter of fact) swallow what appear to be large bites, I always worry that they will get stuck. But they seem to have figured it out. They are definitely not following the advice to take small bites and chew well. 😊
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Definitely not, Tanja ☺️ I remember the first time I ever saw a Great Egret after he had swallowed something that appeared to be stuck in his throat. I couldn’t bear to walk away, just stood there watching to see what would happen as I was sure he would choke!😬
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Very scary. I don’t know how easy or difficult it would be to perform CPR on a heron or another bird!
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😉
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Gulp, indeed! That looks like a full meal! Great captures!
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Thanks so much, Sue. I do believe he was enjoying it ☺️
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What a great catch for you as well as the Heron BJ. I have seen an Aussie Pelican eat a live ferrule pigeon whole, so who knows what these large water birds will not eat. 🙂
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Yes, AB! I guess… Just about anything!
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Amazing! 😊❤️
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It was certainly amazing to me, Irene!
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Always fascinating to watch their fine dining activities!
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They really do seem to take their time and enjoy savoring whatever it is they catch, don’t they?!
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Wow, great captures and what a thing to see! Lots of gulping after that meal, I bet.
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Thanks so much, Ellen. Yes, I especially wondered what that tail felt like going down.
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Great captures! Egret is happy. 🙂
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Haha, thanks, Amy!! He looked quite satisfied.
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Great shots! I saw one eating a mouse one time… so surprising.
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This really surprised me too! But I guess it’s really quite normal.
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