Great Blue Heron Tosses a Pocket Gopher in the Air to Line it Up for Swallowing

[cr_wildlife]

As I have mentioned before, I am aways surprised to see Great Blue Herons eating anything but fish. While fish usually make up the majority of their diet, these large birds will actually consume almost anything that they can catch. In the Bay Area, Great Blues in a few places spend a considerable amount of time stalking and eating Pocket Gophers. They walk slowly through grassy fields that are filled with active gopher holes, and, as best I can tell, they watch to see a gopher pushing up dirt or feeding on plants at one of the entrances to their underground tunnels. They stalk the gophers just like they stalk a fish, moving very slowly to get in position, slowly stretching out their neck, and then striking with lightening speed to impale or catch the gopher with their beak. Having caught a gopher, the hunter needs to manipulate it to line it up for swallowing. Sometimes, they will flick the gopher in the air to get a better grip or to better line it up. In this image, a gopher that still has some grass in its mouth has been released by the heron prior to the heron grabbing it again in a better position in the heron's beak.
Nikon Z9, Nikon Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S, TC engaged, 1/2000 second @ f/5.6, ISO 2,800.

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[Rassie]

Awesome picture, and thanks for the story. It's quite informative.

 

[cr_wildlife]

Thank you very much, Koos!

 

[jeffnles1]

Cool shot.

 

[ssheipel]

Nice capture!

 

[cr_wildlife]

Cool shot.

Thank you very much, Jeff!

 

[cr_wildlife]

Nice capture!

Most appreciated , Steven!

 

[Woodyg3]

Great shot!

 

[NorthernFocus]

That's a great shot and unusual. Have seen the occasional GBH in dry farm fields and it never occurred to me that they were hunting rodents. TFS

 

[Calson]

What amazes me is that you could get that close to the GBH as in California they are incredibly people shy and difficult to photograph except at a nest.

 

[cr_wildlife]

Great shot!

Thanks so much, Woody!

 

[cr_wildlife]

That's a great shot and unusual. Have seen the occasional GBH in dry farm fields and it never occurred to me that they were hunting rodents. TFS

I have seen them hunting like this in a few places in CA. Thanks, Dan!

 

[cr_wildlife]

What amazes me is that you could get that close to the GBH as in California they are incredibly people shy and difficult to photograph except at a nest.

This photo was taken at a park in San Francisco. Lots of hikers, joggers, and bicyclist around. Thus, the birds at habituated. Also, as I posted, the image was taken at 850mm ( Z 600mm TC VR S with the TC engaged). Thanks.