Herons/pelicans swallowing live prey

[GBBG]

^^And that's how you can tell they're enjoying it.

[simalst]

^^And that's how you can tell they're enjoying it.

how? don't really understand.
I think the same too.
But I don't know which signs you mean.

[Fallenfox]

^^And that's how you can tell they're enjoying it.

how? don't really understand.
I think the same too.
But I don't know which signs you mean.

It's just body language; subtle little things like they stay with their necks craned and their heads held high long after their prey has been swallowed; or they wiggle their tails and fluff their feathers when the live meal makes it to their stomachs. It's even more obvious with reptilian predators; the look of rapture on their faces as they close their eyes and lick their lips after the swallow... Eating is pleasant to all living things.

[GBBG]

^^And that's how you can tell they're enjoying it.

how? don't really understand.
I think the same too.
But I don't know which signs you mean.

It's just body language; subtle little things like they stay with their necks craned and their heads held high long after their prey has been swallowed; or they wiggle their tails and fluff their feathers when the live meal makes it to their stomachs. It's even more obvious with reptilian predators; the look of rapture on their faces as they close their eyes and lick their lips after the swallow... Eating is pleasant to all living things.

Yeah, I think in terms of body language you can see it in this video very nicely right after the swallow (skip to 0:56, then you see feathers ruffling at 1:15)
(Not a heron, I just think it proves what we're talking about nicely)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpMY_A0swYo

[FinWhale]

Fallenfox, Thanks for introducing me to this thread!
Here's a few videos I know you'll love! I'll also post them in the Pelican maws thread. http://aryion.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f ... 0&start=60

Probably my favorite. This brown pelican scoops up a fish and you can see this fish struggling in its pouch. The video has great slo-mo too.
"Brown Pelican - Plunge Dive Foraging Technique And Swallowing Jumping Fish Trapped Inside Pouch"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjo89mgLgHw

Also, heres a rehab pelican feeding on a bunch of small fish. You can even see them struggling in the pelicans throat and crop as it swallows them down.
"Pelican Eating Dinner"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8Vk8dpcC1g
"Pelican Eating Dinner - Close Up"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RGhU7lFU6U

[FinWhale]

Wow.... It never occurred to me just how amazing heron could be! I even see them occasionally and thought nothing of it.

Here's a heron video I found with some slo-mo struggles.
https://youtu.be/nM1EZopGlhM?t=52s

[Fallenfox]

Wow.... It never occurred to me just how amazing heron could be! I even see them occasionally and thought nothing of it.

Here's a heron video I found with some slo-mo struggles.
https://youtu.be/nM1EZopGlhM?t=52s

Thanks! I had seen that one before but I didn't have it saved. Herons are so skilled at capturing even the most energetic and wriggly meals! I'm going to add it to my compilation AMV.

[FinWhale]

Check out this one! This fish struggles for like a minute in the herons throat!
I love how the heron just fluffs its feathers up about it.
They are rapidly becoming high up on my list of favorite preds.
https://youtu.be/rznJ3SUzSxU?t=1m8s

[simalst]

Wow.... It never occurred to me just how amazing heron could be! I even see them occasionally and thought nothing of it.

Here's a heron video I found with some slo-mo struggles.
https://youtu.be/nM1EZopGlhM?t=52s

Thanks! I had seen that one before but I didn't have it saved. Herons are so skilled at capturing even the most energetic and wriggly meals! I'm going to add it to my compilation AMV.

AMV?

And maybe GBBG can introduce me into animal body language ^^
@Fallenfox: reptilian is probably more understandable to me but I'd like to learn.

[Fallenfox]

Amateur Music Video - I tend to cut compilations of clips that I like and set them to music. I'm open to suggestions for an appropriate song for this one, though - I once did one to Weird Al Yankovic's "Eat it" which was great but silly

[Eupeptic]

ETA: I can't seem to embed these. Does someone know what I'm doing wrong?

In theory, all you need is the video ID from Youtube inside the "[youtube]" tags. This is the portion after the "watch?v=" in a regular youtube link, or the end portion of a youtu.be link.

For instance, for your video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAgsPUrCV4A , the relevant part is the GAgsPUrCV4A . You would type this into your post

Code: Select all

[youtube]GAgsPUrCV4A[/youtube]

and it should come up with an embedded video.

I'm going to try it with the two links from your original post:





...which doesn't seem to be working for me, but maybe it will work for someone else here.

Eupeptic

[Fallenfox]

Thanks Eupeptic, that was very helpful.

[Emi]

I'm not a big fan of animal vore, but always thought pelicans are hot predators. I love the idea that first prey gets caught into a place.... where she is still not harmed and not doomed, but already hard to be saved. Spending some time there she gets completely swallowed. WOW.
Pelicans eat fish. I love to imagine a pelican eating Mermaids!

[GBBG]

Wow.... It never occurred to me just how amazing heron could be! I even see them occasionally and thought nothing of it.

Here's a heron video I found with some slo-mo struggles.
https://youtu.be/nM1EZopGlhM?t=52s

Thanks! I had seen that one before but I didn't have it saved. Herons are so skilled at capturing even the most energetic and wriggly meals! I'm going to add it to my compilation AMV.

AMV?

And maybe GBBG can introduce me into animal body language ^^
@Fallenfox: reptilian is probably more understandable to me but I'd like to learn.

It'd be a short lesson as I have no idea what the hell I'm talking about!

[jaykayeight]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yirHPVxSMgc
this is really sad, especially hearing the mother scream while the little duckling gets gulped...
just imagine that happening during a stroll through the park, it would ruin my whole day.

EDIT: This is also quite sad, though a bit off topic but... damnit mother nature. A you moose vs a pack of wolfs. Beautiful animals and a beautiful setting sun and VORE....
Its not fair damnit! nature you are worse that we all together!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b3py1xa8p0

[Fallenfox]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yirHPVxSMgc
this is really sad, especially hearing the mother scream while the little duckling gets gulped...
just imagine that happening during a stroll through the park, it would ruin my whole day.

Wow! I had seen others from that channel before but not that one. Amazing drama there - the heron doesn't mind a bit the mother's frantic protesting as he gulps her chick down in front of her! Nature can be brutal, but I enjoyed the video - great wriggling by the ducking as it goes down his throat, and some nice feather-ruffling at the end to help it into the stomach.

[Jet45]

Awesome...
Had I been the heron, I would have gulped down the remainder of her children in front of her.
Mwahahah!!!

[jaykayeight]

Awesome...
Had I been the heron, I would have gulped down the remainder of her children in front of her.
Mwahahah!!!

naah! poor duckling... i would have tried to rescue it. choking that herons neck and pushing it up like toothpaste.

[Jet45]

It's the way of nature. The heron needs food to survive.

Eating all her children in front of her may be a bit greedy and mean and not necessary though.
I'm just a mean pred.

[Noxyoursox]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yirHPVxSMgc
this is really sad, especially hearing the mother scream while the little duckling gets gulped...
just imagine that happening during a stroll through the park, it would ruin my whole day.

EDIT: This is also quite sad, though a bit off topic but... damnit mother nature. A you moose vs a pack of wolfs. Beautiful animals and a beautiful setting sun and VORE....
Its not fair damnit! nature you are worse that we all together!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b3py1xa8p0

That one with the duckling was one of the first heron videos I found, and is still one of my favorites. I love when they go after birds and other non-fishy animals, it's easier to connect with creatures that kick their legs as they go down.