Get That Bird a Bass Boat
Think it sounds fishy that a black-crowned night heron might know how to use bait? It’s no fish tale! Black-crowned night herons have been observed placing bits of bread and even dragonflies on the surface of the water, and then snatching the fish who swim up to take the bait. Other types of herons have also been observed using the same baiting technique. It’s an amazing example of birds using tools to catch prey!
It isn’t common to see this in the wild, so if you see a black-crowned night heron relaxing with its feet on a cooler and a fishing pole in the water, make sure you get a picture. You don’t want to have to tell your friends about the one that got away.
When you look, you see.
So, how do you get a front-row seat for the annual black-crowned night heron fishing tournament? Well, the baiting behavior is pretty rare, so there isn’t any guarantee that you’ll see it. You are guaranteed NOT to see it if you aren’t out there watching though! 😁
Fortunately, black-crowned night herons are considered a “cosmopolitan” species which means you can find them just about anywhere in the world. They just need some kind of aquatic habitat and some trees/bushes to nest in. Although they do most of their feeding at night (which is why they are called night herons) you can still see them hunting in the daytime, especially when they are raising little ones. Around Charleston, we see them everywhere from remote tidal creeks to nesting sites in the trees of the popular tourist destination at White Point Garden. Ask a parent or teacher to help you search for where black-crowned night herons might live near you. You can also check out Copper’s Distract Fact, Home Sweet Home, to learn a little more about finding black-crowned herons nearby.
Fishing for more info about black-crowned night herons and their eating habits?
I’ve got a couple of links below which will let you dive a little deeper into black-crowned night herons
Kids, remember to ask a parent, teacher, or librarian for help whenever you are looking for books or using the Internet. I always try to make sure to share kid-friendly books and resources, but websites are changing all the time, so always check with an adult first.
- Watch a black-crowned night heron hunt, catch, and eat a fish in this video from The Chesapeake Bay Program. There isn’t any bait involved, but it is still awesome!
- In this article, “Bait-Fishing By Birds,” available on The University of New Mexico’s website, you can read a bit more about some of the baiting techniques birds use. Scroll down to the third page to see a picture of a black-crowned night heron fishing with bread!
- Find out what’s generally on the menu for black-crowned night heron’s over at Cornell University’s All About Birds site: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-crowned_Night-Heron/lifehistory#food