A heron caught a fish but before it could swallow it, it had to fight an eagle, ultimately losing its catch to another predator.
Guide Rodney, along with a group of tourists, witnessed a rare food competition among various bird species, even involving crocodiles, in Kruger National Park, South Africa, as reported by Latest Sightings on August 16. They had stopped their vehicle near a waterhole to observe the animals quenching their thirst.
“I decided to visit one of my favorite spots in the park, but honestly, I didn’t expect anything too special. Suddenly, a Goliath heron (Ardea goliath) caught a fish, and what happened next was unbelievable. Luckily, I decided to film the entire scene,” Rodney recounted.
An African fish eagle (Haliaeetus vocifer) appeared and competed for the prey with the heron, Rodney noted. While they were fiercely battling, a saddle-billed stork (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis) approached to steal the food. As the stork attempted to soften the catch, two crocodiles swam closer. However, the stork noticed them and quickly escaped with the stolen fish.
African fish eagles are skilled hunters, using their keen eyesight to spot prey while flying. In contrast, herons and storks prefer to forage by wading through water and probing with their beaks. However, the agile stork in the video managed to steal the heron’s food after it had to fend off the eagle, while also evading the threat posed by the crocodiles.
“I’ve never seen anything like it. I always expect dramatic scenes from mammals and almost never think about a battle between bird species,” Rodney shared.
