I was watching a heron nest with chicks. I saw the adult reach into the nest and pick up and swallow what I thought was a good sized fish. In another observation I saw that same behavior but it looked like he swallowed a rodent - probably a rat. So, what is their diet? See photo with two hind legs and a tail.
They eat meat, meat, meat. They will eat anything they can catch including toads, fish, mice, and other small rodents. a mature full sized bird can eat a 2-3 pound fish that's 15" long! they will take it down whole! It's amazing to watch. I get 20-30 of them in my pond every spring. and still cant believe the size of fish they can take down!
They are indiscriminate predators. What is interesting is that they can take quite a few cottonmouths, a venomous water snake. I imagine their long bill affords them some protection from fangs, their equivalent of using snake tongs!
Here in the wintertime Pacific NW I believe voles are the mainstay... likewise for Great Egrets. They spend hours in the short grass stubble of mowed fields (a seemingly sparse environ) and do very well for themselves, indeed. (as David Attenborough would say -Greg-
Not only do they prey on smaller animals but they can mount a formidable self defense. Don't ever handle one unless you know what you are doing and have some serious eye protection as they may target your eyes with their long spear-like bill.
I once saw one kill a juvenile muskrat one spring. One fall, I saw an egret take a serious swipe at an adult blue wing teal! Mostly I see them catching minnows and frogs though. I have no doubt they will attack anything they think they can kill. Kent in SD
I have witnessed them eating substantial sized fish - I have them around me all year here in Sarasota, Florida. I have a number of reference books that I will check into later & will post the full menu I also have Great Egrets in the region & have one in particular that peruses my neighborhood for food (prey) on pretty much a daily basis. I recently had a small dead mouse on my rear patio that I did not know about - I noticed the Egret slowly walk around & once it encountered the mouse sort of plucked at it & left it be - I've also seen them & the Herons check out newly dead fish & they don't eat them - seems like they only want fresh food.
I have seen even small species like Cattle Egret hunting and eating rodents. Size of the prey can be impressive Same to see how easy they can swallow it.
I was thinking this morning after reading this thread about how some birds/animals do so well around human populated areas, while other types find it a challenge. Has a lot to do with range of diet and the ability to be highly opportunistic. For such a large bird, the GBH is generally quite common in many parts of the country. I see them occassionally in the grass medians separating the east/west lanes of the hwy (precarious)... hunting rodents of course.
GBH's and Egrets have been snatching Koi carp and goldfish from backyard ponds in the Chicago area. People have resorted to covering ponds with nets. I watched a GBH "stalking" burgers and hot dogs on a grill in Sarasota, Florida a couple of summers ago. Every time the "chef" would walk away, the heron would take a step closer. Every time the chef would return to the grill, the Heron would look the other way (but hold its ground). Straight out of a Bugs Bunny cartoon, eh.
They can also become quite habituated to people and I've seen many stake out a favorite fishing spot and accept hand-outs from the fishermen, bait, shrimp, etc. Steph
I've seen a GBH pick a black racer or cottonmouth out of the water, peck it and swallow the four foot long, still wriggling snake head first with the tail wrapping around the bill like a cartoon that went around in the 80's with a frog strangling a bird as it went down. I've also seen a GBH repeatedly peck a turtle -- it sounds like a rifle shot -- until it speared through the top and the bottom shell and then swallowed it whole. Oh, yeah, I've sen them eat fish, too.
The heron that visits my garden seems to particularly favour rather expensive koi carp from my pond. Nice to see one eating something less desirable.
Only seen the Heron in the garden a couple of times although we have plenty around. Most of the time it is the grass snake that takes up almost permanent residence in the pond and decimates the fish.
When met today GBH I instantly remembered this thread. As weather was horrible, semi-dark all day this was the only attraction. Did not wanted to share.
