Bob and I have seen Green Herons on many occasions, but the opportunity to observe one actively catching prey and going through prolonged efforts to make that prey suitable for swallowing was something new and fascinating.
It was in the wetlands at Point Pelee National Park in Ontario, Canada, that we made a number of interesting observations.
Among them was a Midland Painted Turtle sitting on a log in the falling rain.
Our explorations at Point Pelee National Park required rubber boots on the flooded trails, but boardwalks through the wet woods kept us fairly high and dry.
A massive Snapping Turtle floated by us where we walked on the raised platforms.
One look at the Snapping Turtle made us realize that it had been existing in that habitat for a very long time.
Our most exciting sighting was this Green Heron that was patiently hunting in the falling rain.
For at least 10 minutes, we watched as this Green Heron stabbed then dunked and flipped frogs with its beak.
Green Herons are adept at fishing, and like all fisherfolk, they have no problem biding their time waiting for movement in the water.
As Bob and I looked on, the Green Heron came up with a fair sized frog. We subsequently learned that Green Herons are one of the few birds that use baits to lure animals towards them. They will drop feathers or insects and twigs in the water to act as lures for fish and frogs.
Despite the Green Heron’s relatively short beak, the frog didn’t stand a chance of escaping its grip.
Not for the squeamish was seeing the Green Heron eat the frog. Many moments in nature such as this provide evidence of the circle of life.
All in all, eating the frog took about 10 minutes from the moment of capture to the final gulp. You can see the enlarged craw of the Heron as the frog moves down the Heron’s throat.
You would think that one frog would prove a meal, but moments after eating the first frog, the Green Heron was on to yet another unlucky frog that had caught its eye.
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Frame To Frame – Bob and Jean