Black Heron, an Interesting Hunter.

Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca) also known as the Black Egret.

The Black Heron I’ve been trying to capture on film for years.. it has the most spectacular fishing technique I’ve ever seen…  it uses its wings like an umbrella, and uses the shade it creates, to attract fish, this interesting hunting method’s called canopy feeding.

It is a medium-sized (42.5–66 cm in height), black-plumaged heron with yellow legs and feet. It is found south of the Sahara Desert, and prefers shallow open waters, such as the edges of freshwater lakes and ponds. It may also be found in marshes, river edges, and seasonally flooded grasslands.

Some Black Herons feed solitarily, while others feed in groups of up to 50 individuals, 200 being the highest number reported. The Black Heron feeds by day but especially prefers the time around sunset. The primary food is small fish, but it’ll also eat aquatic insects, crabs and amphibians.

Here is a short time line of a hunt……..