Lava Heron
Last updated: June 29, 2001
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Lava Heron
These four photos show the process of a Lava Heron (Butorides sundevalli)
swallowing a fish (in this case, a Sargeant Major: Abudefduf troschelli).
First, he (she?) caught the fish, then adjusted it in its beak, and after about
2 minutes of trying, finally swallowed it. The fish seemed bigger than the bird's head,
and if you look at the final image, you can see a huge lump travelling down the
throat. The heron seemed none the worse for wear afterwards, however.