Bird and prey: heron swoops on ducks

[klr]

Nature red in tooth, claw, beak and all that ...

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ire ... 12071.html (pics in linked article_

WALKERS IN Dublin’s Herbert Park at the weekend saw nature at its most beautiful and brutal when a Grey Heron hunted and fed on day-old ducklings on the banks of the Dodder.

Wildlife photographer Paul Hughes was present to witness the scene as the majestic bird swallowed whole two chicks from the brood of a Tufted Duck.

The mother attempted to hide the ducklings among reeds and the birds dived below the water to try to get away from the accomplished fisherman. But once he had spotted them, they were any easy target.

“The heron swooped in and grabbed the chick and there was pandemonium; the mother was going wild and the other ducks were quacking,” the photographer said, “but there was nothing she could do.”

Hughes said onlookers were not impressed; some threw stones and sticks and others let their dogs run at the heron.

“People’s gut reaction was to attack the heron, but it was a natural event. And it was a bit hypocritical, especially the guy who was eating a chicken sandwich,” he added.

[Bella Fortuna]

But yes:

And it was a bit hypocritical, especially the guy who was eating a chicken sandwich,” he added.

[Animavore]

Take that, ducks. Not so smart now. Are youse?

[mistermack]

It's a natural reaction for humans, who have been a prey species for most of our evolution.
We react especially strongly to predation on babies, as we have evolved an instinctive desire to protect the young, as our own are so vulnerable, for so many years.

We are predators now, but most of the killing is hidden, behind the doors of the food factories, so we haven't become used to it.

If those people were farmers, or abattoir workers, or hunter-gatherers, they probably wouldn't have been bothered at all.

It's something you get used to fairly quickly.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

A prey species for most of our evolution? Really? Do you have sources for that? I would have thought that all of our primate ancestors would be primarily classed as predators by virtue of their stereoscopic vision and canine teeth. How far back until we become prey?

[Tigger]

[mistermack]

A prey species for most of our evolution? Really? Do you have sources for that? I would have thought that all of our primate ancestors would be primarily classed as predators by virtue of their stereoscopic vision and canine teeth. How far back until we become prey?

We are still prey, in the right place and time. Even when we were hunters, we were still prey as well. A polar bear will hunt and kill a man, if it can. So will a grizzly.
Leopards kill many people every year in India.

Many predators are also prey species. Especially fish.

Leopards are predators, but also prey. Lions and Tigers will kill them and eat them.

Stereoscopic vision means nothing. It's evolved so that we can judge a leap from branch to branch. The canines are for protection against other humans. Gorillas have huge canines, they don't eat meat.
Actually, humans began losing their big canines, as they gradually became more specialised hunters.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

A prey species for most of our evolution? Really? Do you have sources for that? I would have thought that all of our primate ancestors would be primarily classed as predators by virtue of their stereoscopic vision and canine teeth. How far back until we become prey?

We are still prey, in the right place and time. Even when we were hunters, we were still prey as well. A polar bear will hunt and kill a man, if it can. So will a grizzly.
Leopards kill many people every year in India.

Many predators are also prey species. Especially fish.

Leopards are predators, but also prey. Lions and Tigers will kill them and eat them.

Stereoscopic vision means nothing. It's evolved so that we can judge a leap from branch to branch. The canines are for protection against other humans. Gorillas have huge canines, they don't eat meat.
Actually, humans began losing their big canines, as they gradually became more specialised hunters.

Firstly, I don't tend to leap from branch to branch much - not since turning 40!

Secondly, lions and tigers certainly do eat leopards (given the opportunity - although leopards are hardly their dinner of choice) but leopards will just as happily eat lions and tigers! A lion or tiger cub that is separated from its mother, or a sick or wounded individual will fall prey to ANY sufficiently large, carnivorous (or scavenger) animal that happens upon it.

If your definition of a "prey animal" is any creature that gets eaten by any other... ever... then yes, I suppose we fit that bill. But so does every other species that has ever existed!

Your post, as I understood it, implied that humans evolved from species that were habitual prey animals - NOT, as in the examples you gave in your rebuttal, opportunistic prey animals - which applies to any animal at all.

Oh, and you also said...

We are predators now, but most of the killing is hidden, behind the doors of the food factories, so we haven't become used to it.

... but then went on to argue that, since humans are eaten by leopards and bears, we are still a prey species!


1. We are predominantly predators and the same applies to all of our ancestors for tens of millions of years at the very least.
2. While we can be the opportunistic prey of any number of species - bears, pythons, big cats, pack dogs, sharks, crocodiles, etc. - we do not form a part of the habitual diet of any of those species or any other.
3. We are no more, and no less, a prey species now than any of our ancestors have been for at least as long as those ancestors could be described as primates.

If you have evidence to the contrary, please cite your sources.

[Robert_S]

Our ancestors relied on our cuteness to get fed and protected as children and relied on their susceptibility to cuteness to get their genes passed on.

Ducklings are cute, herons not so much.

[Gallstones]

Herons are handsome, and one of my favorite avian design elements.

Herons have chicks right now too. And those chicks have to eat as well.





It's terrible love and I'm walking with spiders.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

Herons are fucking awesome. So are ducks. If herons and the like didn't eat ducklets, ducks would not have bothered evolving half as much as they did and they would be a lot less fucking awesome.

it's the cut and thrust of competition that keeps things moving awesomewards!

[Robert_S]

Herons also watch out for predators when the ducks need to have a bit of a lie down.
Duck, Duck, Heron!!! by Robschilli, on Flickr

[Tero]

That's why they produce a dozen ducklings each. It's a numbers game.

[Gallstones]

Herons are fucking awesome. So are ducks. If herons and the like didn't eat ducklets, ducks would not have bothered evolving half as much as they did and they would be a lot less fucking awesome.

it's the cut and thrust of competition that keeps things moving awesomewards!

[mistermack]

Firstly, I don't tend to leap from branch to branch much - not since turning 40!

That's an odd comment. I made the point that your stereoscopic vision evolved in ancestors who DID leap from branch to branch, and not for reasons of predation. If you know different, maybe YOU can quote your sources !

If your definition of a "prey animal" is any creature that gets eaten by any other... ever... then yes, I suppose we fit that bill. But so does every other species that has ever existed!

Your post, as I understood it, implied that humans evolved from species that were habitual prey animals - NOT, as in the examples you gave in your rebuttal, opportunistic prey animals - which applies to any animal at all.

But you seem to classify animals as either prey, or predator, till I pointed out that you can be both.
I said that for most of our evolution, we have been a prey species. I didn't exclude predation by our ancestors. I was just pointing to the fact that we had to look out for predators, as part of our survival.

The phrase "most of our evolution" covers a hell of a lot longer than the last six million years, of upright locomotion. That is just a short blip, in evolutionary terms.

The vast majority of our ancestors were small, fruit eating apes, and their smaller, monkey-like ancestors.
They were preyed on by Eagles, huge snakes, leopards, lions, and sabre-tooth cats etc. etc. Very few died of old age.
They would have preyed on insects and bird eggs, and chicks, in an opportunist fashion, but most of their food would have been fruit and leaves and flowers.
We still have a digestion most suitable for that diet.

I think that describing our species as a prey species for most of our evolution is perfectly accurate. It contrasts to our situation now, where we don't need to look out for predators at all.