Quick Take
- An African fish eagle appears to try to steal a heron’s catch instead of hunting for its own meal.
- Herons are expert fish hunters, using patience and fast reflexes to grab prey in shallow water.
- African fish eagles mainly eat fish, but they will sometimes steal prey from other birds when the opportunity arises.
It is easy to be impressed with animals in the wild. They have many incredible skills, such as hunting, preparing for shelter, and relocating when they need to. We may often think these are a one-time action; however, they are not. Every day, animals have to worry about their safety and what they will eat. Unfortunately, as a wild animal, there is no ability to “retire” and relax. However, every now and then, animals will take the easy road out when it comes to hunting for food. Let’s see how this eagle does that in the video below!
Eagle Hunting for an Easy Meal
The YouTube video clip shown at the top of this blog post shares footage of a heron hunting and an eagle looking for a quick meal. The Kowa YouTube page shared this video. This channel commits to offering a wide range of videos on animals such as monkeys, hyenas, deer, sharks, and wildebeests.
Lazy Eagle Tries to Steal Food From Fellow Bird
At the start of the video shown at the top of this blog post, we see an eagle and a heron standing side by side. The eagle appears to be an African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer). Rather than catching its own prey in this moment, it seems to be attempting to steal the heron’s catch, a behavior known as kleptoparasitism.
The heron starts looking around for any opportunity to grab a fish swimming by. Herons are skilled fish hunters that rely on patience, sharp vision, and rapid strikes to catch prey in shallow water. Catching fish is a highly specialized skill that requires precise timing, especially because fish can react quickly and dart away in an instant.
After the heron quite easily captures a fish, he walks up to shore to enjoy the catch when suddenly he hears the sounds of an eagle swooping down to catch his meal. The heron accidentally drops his meal, and the eagle tries to grab it. But not before the heron intervened. This hunter is determined to have his meal and not allow it to be stolen by a lazy thief.
What Do African Fish Eagles Eat?
African fish eagles are large raptors with a wingspan of about 5.7 to 6.9 feet (175 to 210 cm), though some large females can approach about 7.9 feet.
©Martin Prochazkacz/Shutterstock.com
The African fish eagle is a carnivore that resides in Africa. And while in the video posted at the top, we can see that he was trying to steal from another, they are, in fact, very good hunters.
According to the Peregrine Fund, “Just like the Osprey, the African Fish Eagle has barbs on its feet to help it hold on to slippery fish, its main prey.” This grip helps them hold slippery prey, especially fish, though African fish eagles may also take waterbirds and other animals opportunistically. And sometimes, as in the case of the video above, it is to swipe a kill from another animal.
