photo gallery > Birds (9) > heron leaving Race rocks

Click image for full size view. During an evening trip this heron was observed leaving Race rocks after standing in shallow water feeding on small fish. I have observed herons hunting much larger fish, 2-3 pound trout from a pond. When captured prey is too large to be gulped down immediately or has dangerous spines, the heron drops the prey back into the water and grabs hold of it repeatedly and violently with its beak until the catch is dazed or the spines snap. Then it can be swallowed more easily. Sometimes two fish are caught simultaneously. Other techniques are observed, but more rarely: for example, Great Blue Herons in flight sometimes dive underwater to catch fish; others hover over the water and submerge their heads to catch fish; and some swim in deep water and feed on fish found near the surface.