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Chinese Pond Heron / Ardeola bacchus / 中國池鷺

A Chinese Pond Heron in eclipse plumage catches a mudskipper, one of its favourite types of prey.

 

Pond Herons are kleptoparasitic (stealing the food of others), meaning it isn’t uncommon to see a pond heron that has caught a mudskipper being chased by many other herons (and even little egrets). The success of these chases is low however, although I have witnessed a few instances where a chased pond heron did drop its prey.

 

Species: Chinese Pond Heron / Ardeola bacchus / 中國池鷺

 

Species: Great Blue Spotted Mudskipper / Boleophthalmus pectinirostris / 大彈塗魚

 

Thank you for your interest, views, faves, comments and awards ! This image was captured in Hong Kong 香港. (Better viewed on a larger screen.)

 

© This Image is under full copyright Rick C. Graham. © All rights reserved Rick C. Graham. © This image is subject to international copyright laws and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transferred or manipulated without the express written permission of Rick C. Graham.

 

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Uploaded on June 2, 2025
Taken on February 16, 2024