I got a trail cam photo of a heron catching and presumably eating a small muskrat. Thought some may find it interesting.

Now Thats Cool

No "presumably " about that. A rat it is. What a unique photo capture. Thank you for sharing. Trappers who always learn behaviors new to them is a mighty thing.

I put the camera there to get a photo of an otter, the area of grass nearby is matted down from them rolling around on it and smells horrible.. I have got a lot of pics of deer coming to drink at all times of the day. some raccoons too but no otter, they may be camera shy.

I knew they would grab and swallow fish larger than I would have imagined without seeing it with my own eyes, but never thought they would take on a muskrat. Very interesting, thanks for posting.

Great blue herons are a PITA when they hang out around my pond. I sic the dogs on them when I see them.

Very cool pics. Thanks for sharing

One of the main predators of baby ducks, I have a no fly zone in effect here for BHs.

Very cool picture. My entire family found it interesting thanks for sharing.

There isnt much they wont eat from what I have seen and heard. If it will fit, down the hatch it goes.

Tell me they aren't leftovers from the dinosaurs.

I always think that pterodactyls must have looked about the same when flying.

Keith

I have had them pick rats apart in colony traps underwater.
Snapping turtles eat herons but the bill is not digestible so they poop out the bill.

Herons eat huge numbers of small turtles. I've watched them eat turtles a lot.

Keith

Thank you for a very interesting post.

Great picture!

I suspect they are the reason I gave not see large bull frogs like we used to have. Seemed to vanish when the birds got more common. They are also part of the lifestyle of the yellow worms found in the meat of fish frome what I read when looking into the worms in my fish.

Lakes with shallows had a lot of the worms and steep banks had very few worms in the fish. Makes since swallow are easier for the bird to fish.

herons love to sit on a muskrat den and spear everyone that comes out. they also like to turn muskrats caught in shallow water colony traps into swiss cheese. if you know a heron is in residence on a place your trapping, get your rats deep if you wont want them turned holey.