02/20/2022
This is a great egret, one of the largest and most widespread species of herons on earth.
Herons are fascinating to me because they not only embody the beauty of birds that draw so many of us into the field with binoculars, they are also voracious carnivores.
A quick internet search will show just how predatory these birds are, with pictures of great blue herons eating rabbits, ducks, and other vertebrates most people would assume are too large for them to tackle.
They also hunt in a variety of habitats, with many being terrestrial stalkers. But what ever the habitat they choose to seek out victims, their efficiency cannot be understated. Most ambush predators still have to exert huge amounts of energy to chase down their targets but not the heron. It’s seems they have perfected the art of ambush hunting.