Hailey Burrow
A Great Blue Heron stands with its long legs submerged in water. It waits patiently, its head tucked close to its body as it keeps a close eye on the fish darting about below it. Then it snaps forward, snatching a fish out of the water in the a blink of an eye. Many birds feast on fish, and there is no shortage of unique strategies for catching them: from a pelican’s pouch to a loon’s diving skills. For Herons, it’s all in the neck.
Herons don’t swim like many other water birds. They prefer to walk through shallow water to look for prey. Their long necks allow them to reach the water even with their extremely long legs, so there’s no need to get wet. Keeping their head tucked in while they wait hides the heron’s full reach from its prey, but this means they must be able to move quickly to catch whatever waits in the water. Fish, frogs, snakes, insects, rats, and even other birds may be on the menu. If you have ever seen a heron hunt, you know they are capable of shooting forward with incredible speed, and the trick is hidden in the bones of the neck.
All heron (and egret) species are equipped with one unusually long vertebra in their neck. This bone acts as a lever, throwing the bird’s head forward to strike like a spear so they can grab or stab through their prey. Hunting like this does take some heavy lifting to accomplish, which is why herons and egrets have very robust neck muscles. This, plus their large spear-like beak, means that herons are more top-heavy than similarly shaped birds such as cranes. This is why herons and egrets typically fly with their neck scrunched up and close to their torso, rather than extended out in front of them. Having their head tucked in like this can reduce the bird’s field of vision, but it makes balance considerably easier.
Their neck isn’t the only trick in the heron’s toolbox though; various species have developed specialized tricks and strategies to make them even more effective hunters. Green Herons have learned how to bait the water, luring curious fish in with dead insects, feathers, twigs, or other items dropped onto the surface of the water. This special hunting method makes them one of several bird species known to use tools. Reddish Egrets prefer not to sit quietly and wait for their food to come to them, instead running back and forth through shallow water, stirring up sediment or flapping their wings to startle prey out of hiding so that they can attack. Both Reddish Egrets and Tricolored Herons will also use their wings to create a canopy over their heads, blocking the glare from the sun and attracting prey to the nice little shady spot they create.
Next time you’re near the water, keep an eye out for a heron on the hunt. If you want to see some of these special strategies, don’t blink or you might miss the strike!
Photo: A Green Heron lying in wait for its prey, then striking towards the water
Credit: Mike Williams
