Birds

Cattle Egrets Eating Herps at the Viera Wetlands

February 1, 2016 by Corey 2 Comments

While I was at the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival in January I spent most of one afternoon taking my time driving around the Viera Wetlands and digiscoping anything that crossed my path. One of the creatures that didn’t so much cross my path as follow it was a Cattle Egret that seemed to think my car was a suitable substitute for cows. And, when a Leopard Frog moved to escape my car, the Cattle Egret was proven correct.

Cattle Egret with Leopard Frog

The frog was big but the bird was determined.

Cattle Egret eating a Leopard Frog

The egret actually took its time at this point, and eventually flew off to finish its meal away from the clicking of my camera.

But I wasn’t done with Cattle Egret yet! I found two more clambering around in some reeds and quickly realized that they were finding an amazing bounty.

Cattle Egret eating a Brown Anole

Brown Anoles are a pretty squiggly meal. Well, until you crush them with your bill.

Cattle Egret downing a Brown Anole

Then it’s down the hatch! (I wish I had nailed the focus on this one.)

But lizards weren’t all that the crafty egrets were finding in the reeds. They were also finding tree frogs though I am not sure of the exact species.

Cattle Egret crushing a tree frog

Whatever the species is, these tree frogs didn’t have a chance.

Cattle Egret eating a tree frog

Be glad that I am not sharing the image where the frog basically popped.

Cattle Egret

Be glad you are not small enough to have this be your final sight!

Cattle Egrets: wreaking havoc with herps wherever they go!

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10,000 Birds is a Scrub Jay-level sponsor of the 19th Annual Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival.

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Written by Corey
Corey is a New Yorker who lived most of his life in upstate New York but has lived in Queens since 2008. He's only been birding since 2005 but has garnered a respectable life list by birding whenever he wasn't working as a union representative or spending time with his family. He lives in Forest Hills with Daisy and Desmond Shearwater. His bird photographs have appeared on the Today Show, in Birding, Living Bird Magazine, Bird Watcher's Digest, and many other fine publications. He is also the author of the American Birding Association Field Guide to the Birds of New York.