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"Umbrella Bird"

Because of its feeding theatrics, I have taken hundreds of pictures of Reddish Egrets in Florida.

 

Most egrets and herons are patient hunters, standing for long periods of time until a fish comes near enough for it to dart forward to capture it. Not Reddish Egrets. They run about the shallow waters, splash about, and most oddly, raise its wings over its head, like an umbrella. Technically, this behavior is called "canopy feeding".

 

Supposedly, small fish will seek shelter in the shadows created by the heron's "umbrella". If that doesn't work, there's always more running around to scare up some fish.

:-))

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Uploaded on April 20, 2020
Taken on February 16, 2020