canberrabirds

Large prey

To: 'Christine' <>, 'Wallaces' <>
Subject: Large prey
From: Suzanne EDGAR <>
Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2019 22:31:29 +0000

Gt pic, Christine; poor little dragon!

Sz

 

From: Christine [
Sent: Wednesday, 20 February 2019 8:57 PM
To: Wallaces <>
Cc: Canberra birds <>
Subject: Re: [canberrabirds] Large prey

 

Firstly, fantastic videos Steve!

 

Secondly, I attach a photo from the Botanic Gardens last week. Yes the dragon was gobbled whole, tail still swishing desperately.

 

There is a story about a Kookaburra and a Lewin's Honeyeater, but you will need to ask Peter Marsack about that one...

 

Lastly, one of the funniest things I have witnessed while bird watching was a Superb Fairywren eating a decent sized caterpillar whole. It "swallowed" it, but it did not completely fit, and the Fairywren was walking around in circles,  head up, mouth open and the tail of the caterpillar visible in it's beak....

 

Christine.

 

On Wed, Feb 20, 2019 at 4:44 PM Wallaces <> wrote:

  Sometimes birds take prey that seems too large for them to eat. Attached
photo shows a weather loach held by an ibis and a Baillon's Crake with
something I cannot identify. The ibis swallowed the weather loach while it
was still alive (see https://www.hbw.com/ibc/1562747  ). The crake ran into
the cover so I don't know if it ate its catch (see
https://www.hbw.com/ibc/1562929 ).

Large yabby's are also eaten by White-necked Heron (see
https://www.hbw.com/ibc/1194105 ).

I know that there are photos of pelicans with very large prey but I thought
I would see if people have photos/observations of other species with very
large or unusual prey.

Steve

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Admin

The University of NSW School of Computer and Engineering takes no responsibility for the contents of this archive. It is purely a compilation of material sent by many people to the Canberra Ornithologists Group mailing list. It has not been checked for accuracy nor its content verified in any way. If you wish to get material removed from the archive or have other queries about the list contact David McDonald, list manager, phone (02) 6231 8904 or email . If you can not contact David McDonald e-mail Andrew Taylor at this address: andrewt@cse.unsw.EDU.AU