Shabby image in Tyto yesterday as immature Nankeen Night-Heron (Nycticorax caledonicus) nabs a yabby: first live - for 10 seconds – cray prey I’ve come across.
Young bird active lately and relatively approachable. Unlike the Black Bitterns, which have been haunting same hunting grounds, but much more warily.
Click pix to enlarge
Hi Tony
ReplyDeleteDo the Herons bash the Yabbies to death, before swallowing them?
Or just do the old Open and Throw-back Trick?
Just curious.
.
I suppose as long as it goes down tail first, it might be OK, even if live.
But seeing the claws about to go down the throat would worry me. But I am not an experienced Yabby hunter, like they are.
Denis
So far as I could see, it was quick moves to more or less align yabby head first and even quicker gulps to down it. No bashing or thrashing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tony.
ReplyDeleteI know they take fish head first, as the scales go down smoothly that way.
I just wondered if they adjusted their technique for Yabbies.
Apparently not.
Thanks
Denis