[SailorDon]

I never saw a Great Blue Heron eat such a large fish as in the attached photo.

And then he went on to eat another big fish he had "stored" for dessert on the boat launch ramp.

See video at

http://youtu.be/UdNF5pE8854

[Brian2]

Had one do the same down in Florida a few years back..just stood on the ramp waiting for my catch and I agree the size they can swallow defies belief

[fugl]

Nice video. It's amazing what herons & other aquatic birds can swallow. I've seen Hooded Mergansers & Pied-billed grebes choke down thick-bodied crawdads more than half their own length.

[kitefarrago]

I've seen a grey heron swallow a moorhen.

I was with a group but none of us managed to see the kill, so we don't know how the heron came by the moorhen. It was interesting to watch it deal with the issue of getting it down its throat: It tried a number of times but kept having to drop it again. Meanwhile a number of other grey herons who were hanging around crept in closer and closer, clearly saying `if you can't deal with that, I will'.

Eventually the heron managed to position it head first and it went down its throat very, very slowly - it was a bit like watching a python swallow over-sized prey on a documentary. I do wonder whether the bird ever regretted its choice - the whole thing looked very uncomfortable. The other herons ambled off again, disappointed.

Andrea

[Brian2]

on birdguides today a picture has been posted of a grey heron eating a rather large duckling..not something you want to be seeing really.

[SailorDon]

Originally Posted by Brian2

on birdguides today a picture has been posted of a grey heron eating a rather large duckling..not something you want to be seeing really.

That could explain why 2 days ago there were 7 ducklings in this duck flotilla.

See attached photo.
Perhaps the Great Blue Heron had duckling for dinner.

[Brian2]

A grey Heron has just taken a large golden tench from my garden pond too.
can there be a more destructive predator out there.....I know they have to eat but why not rats for lunch that would be a lot easier to swallow (if you pardon the pun)

[Dimitri]

What to think of this one?

http://www.birdpix.nl/album_page.php?pic_id=62646

[Brian2]

Dimitri, that's a shocker....where does it end, they are deadly predators for sure.

[Dimitri]

It ends with drowning the rabit and swallowing it. The pictures were even shown in The Sun -> http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle1748631.ece (poor quality)

[Tommy Milner]

Very surprising what they can get down I seen a few Mallard chicks swalllowed like they were smarties.