Black Crowned Night Heron catches a big gopher

I finally got a night heron catching a gopher.

[@cint4408]

I was just getting used to the idea that various larger birds hunt gophers. But this bird is not nearly as large. Amazing! Great work showing us how adaptable these birds are.

[@EarlTheVidua]

That's a Heron not a bird.

[@ASP11290]

Amazing photography. Your best video to date.

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks. I was a bit frustrated with low light and focus issues but it definitely was one of my favorite captures. I’ve been having a hard time finding great blues and egrets and I have been hoping to catch a night heron.

[@johnberry1107]

Good to know one more us home. Good work. Thank you

[@MarcPagan]

Very cool..thanks for the work, and upload.

[@p47koji]

Wonderful videography as usual, Sir. While I have been in Middleton, ID for ten months now, I have yet to see one gopher hole.

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks. We seem to be having a down year for gophers in my usual places.

[@fromagebaton]

I had no idea night herons could do this. Did it dispatch the gopher like the other (larger) herons with a beak to the head?

[@jimzenor9148]

I was very surprised to see one fly in front of me with one a couple years ago. It was a goal to prove they were capable. I will try to get more to verify but I think night herons tend to grab rather than stab. They do have quite a sharp beak so I’m not sure. I do think that this particular night heron is more experienced than most. I was surprised to see it was the same night heron I followed before. I wonder if its foot drives it to seek gophers more than most others. In any case, it is an impressive bird.

[@emercycrite]

I couldn’t see any puncture wounds so I don’t think the bird’s beak stabbed through the gopher?

[@jimzenor9148]

@@emercycriteI agree. In this case it clearly grabbed it but in answering more generally, I’m not sure if these night herons will use their bills to stab their prey. I don’t recall ever seeing them stab their prey like some other herons do.

[@emercycrite]

@@jimzenor9148 I wonder how this gopher was killed then. Perhaps the force of the heron’s beak around its head was enough to break or crush something.

[@jimzenor9148]

@@emercycritethe bird actually took about twice as long holding the gopher as shown. Some parts were removed from lack of focus and some was just repeating. It appeared to me that it chocked it. It also physically shook it but I think it has a very strong bill and it holds the gopher purposely so that it can tell when it is safe to swallow. The bird pretty quickly repositioned the gopher. I was surprised the heron was able to do that as easily as it seemed.

[@benitorivera528]

ALKA-SELTZER?

[@jimzenor9148]

😂