Black Crowned Night Heron once again shows his hunting prowess

[@melonetankberry5211]

gopher: ok you got me. just do it quick. heron: i promise i will do it as speedily as i can. 10min later gopher: surely you can't be serious? heron: i am and don't call me shirly.

[@WatcherMovie008]

As painful and suffering it is for the gopher, the heron is also struggling a lot in this hunt. The need to keep the prey in a choke hold, maintain that choke strength with its beak, and constantly keep the beak firmly on the neck is a lot of commitment and energy. That is energy that the heron can not waste, so when it drops the gopher, it only does so to maintain a quick break to regain some energy and redo the process all over again. If this were a more inexperience or younger heron, I can imagine the gopher slipping away by catching enough air to make a quick sprint. Unlucky for the gopher, this heron was experience enough to not allow the gopher to gain that breath of air when it drop it.

[@walts555]

👍Amazing footage! Seen a bit of this in the wild but never knew how they subdue gophers.

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks. I think this heron’s level of big game hunting is unusual for his species. I saw this particular heron hunting gophers a couple years ago. Also I saw one with all its toes trying to catch gophers but it wasn’t until this week did I actually document one catching one.

[@thomasrussell7135]

Grew up in NW Arkansas loved watching these guys fish by forming shade with their wings

[@jimzenor9148]

These guys are clever. I watched one carry a beef rib into the water to use as bait.

[@dannyarroway4187]

I've posted a similar comment about your work on a previous video, but this is spectacular photography! Brilliant!

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks. Honestly I think the best secret for photography is finding a subject that lets you get close and lets you move around for the best angle. This bird lets me be its paparazzi.

[@2Cenery]

Gopher had a few chances to escape but was too stunned to move. Bird was stalking like a leopard and ate like a snake.

[@jimzenor9148]

Yeah it surprised me when it put it down but it seemed the gopher hadn’t made a good plan to escape.

[@leyrua]

​@@jimzenor9148 I mean by then he was probably too exhausted to make a break for it.

[@sputnickers]

No snake swallows that fast.

[@Thehandsomeliberal]

That's a long agonizing death

[@jimzenor9148]

Yeah it was. I felt sorry for that gopher but I also felt happy for the bird. This particular bird, unlike most night herons, goes after prey that provides massive calories but big prey is hard to dispatch quickly. It seems to be this heron’s expertise.

[@ss304_82]

Welcome to the reality of nature. Must see how young lions kill their old father lions. Truly painful

[@strongdelusion9442]

Very similar to what we humans go through here on the flat earth realm!

[@AngelMartineZz89]

it is still sad tho 😔 nature is metal

[@desmondshannon5360]

Well as said it cant kill as fast as its larger relatives. However agonizing it is thats how it is.

[@cyrusknowles8432]

Nice Footage. Good written (silent) commentary as well. Much appreciated. We have Night Herons here in Hawaii. I live on Maui and on occasion have tried to approach them to observe. They are very wary. Gophers... that's amazing. I'm sure the Night Heron would be a welcomed guest on many people's yard. 😉

[@kellyharrison5184]

I have watched the Great Blue Herons hunting for, and catching, voles in fields here in Maine. Fascinating! (Glad I'm not a vole!)

[@jimzenor9148]

Here in California they primarily hunt Botta’s Pocket Gophers. The vast majority of my videos are Great Blue Herons hunting gophers. They are really good at it.

[@Hellnback303]

Great photography. Just great.

[@jimzenor9148]

Thank you 😀

[@2009raindrop]

Wow, that is one stealthy, strong, and focused bird! Thanks for sharing this!

[@nerevarinenwah3690]

"How could birds have possibly anything to do with dinosaurs? They are so small and cute and fragile..." Actual birds: cold, unblinking monster that snaps your neck, waits for you to suffocate, then swallows you whole.

[@jimnorthland2903]

Just what I was thinking! Dinosaur eats mammal. Next, mammal eats dinosaur.

[@mikespangler98]

This has been going on a long time 😊 I went and looked how long. Morganucodon is usually considered the first mammal but its oldest fossils, only represented by isolated teeth, date from around 205 million years ago. Based on the age of the specimens that we do have, that first dinosaur may well have lived in the early Triassic Period. The earliest dinosaurs for which we do have well-documented fossils are found in Late Triassic Ischigualasto Formation in northern Argentina. Skeletons discovered in these rock layers include the meat-eating dinosaurs Herrerasaurus and Eoraptor, as well as the plant-eating dinosaur Pisanosaurus. Some rock layers from this formation are composed of ancient volcanic ash, which has yielded a radioisotopic age of 228 million years ago. So it looks 205 million years of mammal-dinosaur warfare.

[@Erissa]

I mean better than Pelican death I guess. I've seen instances where those just swallow squirrels and whatever else can fit in its mouth whole while they are still very much alive. That would be like getting swallowed by a Titan in Attack on Titan.

[@joannasaid1167]

They don’t

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

Yeah once I started getting into birds ... And really it's just been the last few months where I've kind of gotten the bug, they are just Savage. Siblings killing siblings, parents killing siblings, Intruders and cuckoo brood parasites and so. And just their hunting prowess, even when things are relatively normal is insane. The way a kestrel and a barn owl can just go out and grab a rodent in 10 seconds and come back is so impressive.

[@sandyquiroz8688]

So mesmerizing and intriguing. Thank you!

[@str1xt]

In a parallel universe, the gopher in the thumbnail declares to his children ' with training you will be able to snap a herons neck like......... thiiiiiiis'.

[@joyanithottamuser-jd2ok5qi6x]

Good videography, hard work appreciated

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks. Honestly this bird was interesting enough for me to make following it easier.

[@AcyGonz20711]

Aw.....wow... amazing video, thanks for sharing, I like birds and nature.

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@blobbertmcblob4888]

Literally watching a theropod dinosaur hunting.

[@raylopez99]

There was a ancient heron during the reign of the early Egyptians that was higher than a human. Imagine that bird impaling you.

[@markusb.ausu.3878]

It's called the Bennu heron with a height of 2 m / 6.6 ft. Would be interesting to watch. Not to be watched... 😅

[@wieslawszypniewski6954]

And the storks were so big that kidnapped human childrens

[@moons4768]

What kind of ransom did the heron demand

[@samuraibeluga3749]

they didint hunt humans....if anything they venerated them

[@wr5488]

There’s storks in Brazil taller than people! Biggest flying bird I believe

[@rednef71]

Really cool video...a bird that moves like a cat!

[@jimzenor9148]

Yes they do. I love how they stalk gophers. I have a couple videos where they stalk fish too. They use similar tactics for different prey but they smart and adaptable if they need to be.

[@johnquinn456]

Well done Thank you for sharing

[@MoahGentle]

I think it was so focused on hunting it didn’t mind or notice you somehow? What a hunter. Never seen anything like this up close. Amazing footage.

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks. Yeah this bird lives in a park with lots of walkers. It is relatively easy to approach and once it is used to you, it will get really close particularly as you suggested when it sees something good.

[@jrosealmendras88]

Great share Full support❤

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks

[@chateaupig826]

This seems like the fair balance of nature . Many gophers with a few hunting birds getting a meal ❤

[@jimzenor9148]

Yeah, my only complaint is that the city keeps poisoning the gophers. I think the poison itself doesn’t endanger the birds but it does make it more challenging for the predators to thrive.

[@alissonsilvadeoliveira5188]

Uma ave pescadora, aperfeiçoando sua técnica de pesca para ser uma caçadora furtiva no meio do mato, uma evolução impressionante

[@jimzenor9148]

Yes it is interesting how the very different preys have similar strategies to hunt. I have videos of this type of heron hunting fish and in both cases they are very stealthy and use similar techniques.

[@uncletiggermclaren7592]

Nice photography !. Imagine how difficult life would be, if we had dinosaurs sneaking about like that.

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks. Yeah I’m glad I’m not a gopher.

[@uncletiggermclaren7592]

@@jimzenor9148 We had a couple of dozen chickens, not little ones, Chochins, BIG fighting chickens. Mice and inexperienced rats would come to take the spilled grain. Never twice. Them girls could move faster than you could see, literally so fast that you had to work out what they had done after the fact. And they would RACE each other for the mouse, and just VICIOUSLY peck and peck and then fight to be the one who swallowed it whole. Half grown rats were too big for them to swallow whole, so they would crowd around it, and grab a part each and just pull it apart, "pop". And two of them even would try to take sparrows out, I didn't see them ever succeed because the sparrows knew the story too, and would be SUPER on edge once they were in the pen trying to steal grains.

[@jimzenor9148]

@@uncletiggermclaren7592wow cool story. I’ll bet your chicken eggs are really good compared to what we can get here in the store. I have watched turkeys being really predatorial eating large snakes and rodents. Some birds are so fast.

[@uncletiggermclaren7592]

@@jimzenor9148 Oh, yeah the eggs were pretty good. We used to have a sign on the gate "Pick your own eggs !" :) Lots of people in the neighbourhood sold their eggs to a company that supplied vegetarian restaurants, and we did that too on occasion, but we ate so many of them, they would ring up and we would say "Yeah, we have a couple dozen" and they would flag driving down our long road, wasn't worth their time..

[@daveman9712]

Really amazing close up footage! Nice work, sir!

[@wisequotesandfacts]

Lovely. Just Beautiful.

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks. Yeah I really enjoyed this bird when I was able to find it. My two most viewed videos are from this guy.

[@glashoppah]

It's almost supernatural, the way the bird can weld its head in space, so that its body moves but its head suddenly appears to be painted in 3-D on a background. I note that this heron does not spear the gopher like the Great Blue does. What gorgeous video you've taken. That bird looks incredible.

[@philiprutter1]

"Attention; All Herons!! DO NOT EVER attempt to swallow a LIVE gopher! They will bite and claw their way right through your throat- and run off laughing. " This heron - got the memo! And lives to stalk again.

[@TheGrmany69]

Super common in Venezuela, we call them "chicuaco" because of the sound they produce at night. I've seen red tiger herons doing this exact same thing but while hunting blue tanagers.

[@christophergrove4876]

🇨🇦/🇺🇸... HOLY HELL!!!! For a bit, I was rootin' for the underdog.

[@ele4853]

Great footage! Well done!

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks

[@4exgold]

Herons are insanely good hunters........never get tired of watching em in action

[@TheJHMAN1]

I had known they ate Pocket Gophers I would have bought a flock of them for my old house.

[@Dflowen]

3:47 Gopher - "I can't breathe.... someone help me 😂" Herron - "not this time" Gopher - "Its GophOver for me 💀"

[@OG_HellCat]

Amazing video great work 👏🏻

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks

[@nickj1111981]

Dang, he one-throated that gopher lol! Awesome video!

[@tinytails11]

Sharp and high, quality video

[@ValkoBranislav]

Tak to sú perfektné zábery lovu. Podarilo sa Ti nafilmovať úžasné video. Blahoželám...

[@романмелешко-г8ч]

An interesting bird, I have been keeping it for 9 years, there is an imprint ...)

[@swingair-internationalairw6150]

The way it can retract and stretch out it's neck like that creeps me out

[@jimzenor9148]

It is amazing. I was just talking with my brother about that. They look so different with the long and short necks.

[@joannasaid1167]

Amazing video and bird!!!

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks Joanna. That really is an exceptional bird. It is so easy to video and it really is an exceptional hunter.

[@robertkreiling1746]

Awesome video

[@LowSparkofHighHeeledBoys]

Fantastic video thank you.

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@brucepooley3623]

Good hunting and damned good potography!

[@jimzenor9148]

Thank you. That is very nice of you to say.

[@PDXDrumr]

They really are adapted to short gass habitat. When I watch GB herons in PNW, the height allows an advantage, but the distance does not (and speed) always cooperate.

[@jimzenor9148]

Yeah I agree. Great Blue Herons are better at taller grass. I found the ones around here are reluctant to go into tall grass maybe because predators might hide there.

[@50tigres79]

beautiful animal, beautiful shot, beautiful display.

[@catpoke9557]

Such a pretty bird is capable of such scary things

[@polygonekoma]

Amazing video!

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks!

[@pamtnman1515]

Outstanding video

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks

[@saltydriver3722]

Imagine that thing 15ft tall, 1000lbs and it can run 60 miles an hr. No wonder why humans didn't have a chance till recently.

[@j.jarvis7460]

Rubbish.

[@AshbringerOnyxia]

Imagine you would have a few Braincells more..

[@HanginInSF]

Imagine you have a 50 cal

[@saltydriver3722]

@HanginInSF I think fire was only thing that worked back then. Once we mastered fire, we took control. Great tool.

[@Dell-ol6hb]

There is no such animal, I’m not sure what you’re even talking about? Do you mean terror birds? Because the largest known species reached 10-11 ft tall max, and they were extinct before humans ever made it to the Americas

[@nodsib]

Dude, that was some Morgan Freeman narration-worthy nature footage you got

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks

[@MiguelAngel-lk9tj]

Nicely done my young padawan

[@bolynn9668]

Impressive footage 🎉. So clear and CLOSE! Humans are pathetic compared to wild creatures.

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks

[@gerrylavelle8433]

The bird decided to 'gopher' it and scored.

[@Sarbet888]

I thought the bird was hunting for locusts and worms, my surprise to see instead a rat.

[@jimzenor9148]

Yeah this guy is a big game hunter compared to most night herons.

[@garafimsemaris6100]

Какая прекрасная птица охотница, не знал что такая есть, поразительно скоььео Господь создал животных, и каких удивительных.

[@Blues40]

Amazing video! Thank you!

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks and you’re welcome.

[@haleiwasteve8434]

Amazing video

[@augusto_alves]

Well done! Excelent sharing!

[@swerne01]

That gopher was not easy to kill. He couldn't break its neck though he tried hard. Eventually it looked as though he strangled it.

[@jimzenor9148]

Yeah that’s what I thought too.

[@helmsman13]

This is a small prey. This bird is capable to swallow a fish almost its size.

[@goldenoriolesilverbirch8220]

Brutal reality of nature.

[@zaraspook1367]

Such a cool bird with beautiful eyes. I see these birds on my dock each night. Notice how this bird doesn't stab the gopher like a great blue heron would?

[@jimzenor9148]

I agree. These birds are much more inclined to grab their prey.

[@racher4593]

You know, it's hard to feel bad for the gopher given the multiple chances he had to flee.

[@catpoke9557]

Little dude was in shock

[@grahamfree3175]

Terrific! Such a beautiful bird caught in action perfectly - bit of a shitty death for the poor lil gopher tho and I'm not at all squeamish - really well captured/framed

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks. This one kind of surprised me when I watched it for the first time. I thought the light was too dim but it turned out well. I love how dramatically this bird moves sometimes.

[@donihula]

My town needs this bird😅😅😅

[@gregoryschmidt1233]

The first thing the bird does is to get the gopher away from its hole. If he loses his grip, he'd at least have a shot at recapturing it.

[@paulopantera1962]

O almoço tá garantido. Tá no papo!

[@atmentod]

Really nice video quality capturing this. Also useful subs. That tit tak shit subtitles gets old

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks. I’ve tried narration but that seems to distract too much. Honestly the video quality surprised me when I saw it on the 4K monitor. I knew the light was good but it was really good.

[@NatureLovingWoman]

Amazing video 👏👍❤️

[@mariosolis1802]

That was relaxing .

[@tironecachoeira9122]

Queria vê tu de frente de aves gigantes do mioceno seria relaxante.

[@YesItsReallyKeith]

I would need a guinness to wash it down !! lol !

[@Евгений.Котов]

ЕГО ОХОТА --ЗАВОРАЖИВАЕТ!!...КАКАЯ ВЫДЕРЖКА...!НАМ УЧИТЬСЯ И УЧИТЬСЯ!!!ЖЕНЯ ГРОЗНЕНСКИЙ!!

[@fromagebaton]

amazing that it would continue to hunt after such a large meal. Does the night heron ever impale the gopher's head like the other herons or does it have to grab by the neck every time?

[@jimzenor9148]

I think it generally does a grab but I took another video the next day (yesterday) where the bird did seem to impale a gigantic gopher. I’m not sure when I’ll have time to process it but I hope to post early next week. It quickly dropped it and then did the neck grab and shake for nearly a half hour.

[@Antidragon-nl7by]

For how long will a meal like that satiate a heron? Is that the equivalent of a heavy meal or a light snack?

[@bobbyb322]

Wild stuff there

[@jamesa.rodriguez8598]

Nice video.

[@jimzenor9148]

Thanks!

[@vanguard9067]

Gophers! It’s what’s for dinner.

[@jeansairien8161]

This poor little mouse has no solution to escape.

[@jimzenor9148]

Yes being a gopher is hard. So many things want to eat them.

[@christophrodig5738]

A great warrior & hunter 😊

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

Man, I've never realized how much gophers kind of look like rats.

[@jimzenor9148]

Yeah they do. I saw a night heron flying with what I thought was a rat a couple years ago but in hindsight I’m pretty sure it was a gopher.

[@scottcarter6915]

Beautiful bird!❤👍in an awful world 👎😟

[@taheranasali3017]

Great foto graphics

[@Mohammad-qh8gw]

I promise I will never ever eat meat again. Yak.

[@jorgeisaacrodriguez5467]

Pobre raton , sufrio antes de morir!😢

[@fonkyal-jayasinga2312]

Ini sangat baagus bagi pertanian padi di indonesia

[@josedimasalvesdossantos4542]

Quem é prejudicar o arroz aí os ratos ou os pássaros garças ????

[@casefarley5744]

This is metal af.

[@kwokhungleung4623]

Thanks for sharing

[@jimzenor9148]

My pleasure

[@ChuckNorris100000]

You guys know that old American saying? “It was grizzly” it stems from the fact that a grizzly bear, neither have the skills, nor the need to kill you swiftly. Unlike a mountain Lion who’ll go for throat, after mauling you, a grizzly bear goes straight for your fat, then your liver, that’s it. It’s big enough that it doesn’t need you to be dead, to eat your liver. This bird neither have the mean, or need to end it early.

[@PaliAha808]

Great video. Oh, by the way Jim, I can hear you breathing

[@jimzenor9148]

Yeah I think my adrenaline shot up on that one. I’ve sounded like Darth Vader a couple times when I had to run after a heron flying to the river.

[@PaliAha808]

@@jimzenor9148

[@-canalainamar5540]

الطبيعة لا ترحم 🇲🇦

[@jimzenor9148]

Yes I agree. Life for a gopher is short and things can change very quickly.

[@-canalainamar5540]

👍👍🙏

[@tuhanakyolaminnnnnnnnnnnnn1117]

kuşun İlk yakaladığındaki hızı inanılmaz

[@jimzenor9148]

These birds are like fierce little lions.

[@ciprianogonzalez7254]

…with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.

[@jimzenor9148]

I made a video once that I titled Silence of the Gophers.

[@p47koji]

True meaning to "death from above."

[@LuciusSicarius]

Wish I could get a couple of these birds to live in my yard and get rid of all the gophers.

[@JamesCraigWhoop]

Beautiful bird

[@SpikyDiggy]

nature can be cruel, but its whats necisarry to survive /srry if i spelled wrong)

[@Wild_birds7]

Wildlife photography ❤❤❤

[@gazza116]

great footage of nature.