How often does the Grey Heron hunt and eat small mammals? (4 Viewers)

[wildirishswan]

I have seen a Grey Heron catching an eat a full grown Brown Rat and minutes later it attempted to catch another.
I have watched one particular Grey Heron catch two Rats in the same week and have seen it hunt for Rats in the same area at least every secound day.

Has anybody seen this kind of behaviour from the Grey Heron?
Is this behaviour common with the Grey Herons?

I have captured this behaviour on video and here is the link.

VIDEO LINK........http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aey0mb89f6E

 

[Tony Tully]

See my post pictures of the Grey Herons that come to get a free feed of chick & mice & rats on a daily basis at Muncaster castle were they have an Owl sanctury it is quite a site to see. if you ever get to that part of the country take a day out to this place well recommended.

 

[Tony Tully]

Grey herons

See my post pictures of the Grey Herons that come to get a free feed of chick & mice & rats on a daily basis at Muncaster castle were they have an Owl sanctury it is quite a site to see. if you ever get to that part of the country take a day out to this place well recommended.

 

[timwootton]

I have seen a Grey Heron catching an eat a full grown Brown Rat and minutes later it attempted to catch another.
I have watched one particular Grey Heron catch two Rats in the same week and have seen it hunt for Rats in the same area at least every secound day.

Has anybody seen this kind of behaviour from the Grey Heron?
Is this behaviour common with the Grey Herons?

I have captured this behaviour on video and here is the link.

VIDEO LINK........http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aey0mb89f6E

Great video!

 

[MJB]

I have seen a Grey Heron catching an eat a full grown Brown Rat and minutes later it attempted to catch another. Has anybody seen this kind of behaviour from the Grey Heron? Is this behaviour common with the Grey Herons?

It's not only common in Grey Herons, but among most (all?) members of the heron family, a behaviour I've seen in many countries. It's probably mainly a consequence of herons' ability to remain still and strike quickly and directly, no lateral movement being apparent to the prey. I've seen Little Bitterns in Turkey take shrew/mouse species, and in Australia more than one heron species tackle small reptiles as well as what looked like a mouse. Herons will also predate small passerines - I saw a Snowy Egret eat two migrants resting low down in a small tree in the Dry Tortugas on the Fort Jefferson island. Herons are catholic in their diet - anything edible that can be swallowed that is within reach is at risk - the struggle a Jabiru in Belize had with an enormous eel lasted about half an hour.
MJB

 

[chris butterworth]

Grey Heron will catch and eat anything they think they can get down their throats. High tides at Parkgate, Wirral are notorious for the Grey Herons catching and swallowing whole Water Rails, never mind the small mammals.

Chris