Cheers,
--Mike H.
On Wednesday, February 14, 2007, at 02:37 PM, Tommy Tyrberg wrote:
At 07:35 2007-02-13, Donna Braginetz wrote:LISTERS --
Go here for a series of amazing photos of a heron capturing a gopher. I'm not accustomed to seeing herons hunt rodents, much less rodents of unusual size! Also, check out the way the prey has been speared .
I agree that a gopher is a rather large prey for a Ardea herodias. However it's very close european relative Ardea cinerea will happily eat just about anything it can kill and swallow. Mammalian prey includes mice, water-voles (which are largish, up to ca 200 mm), field-voles, water-shrews and even moles! They can be really serious predators on Little Grebes.
Tommy Tyrberg