Some wildlife moments are over in seconds, but they stick with you. This one did. I watched a Green Heron cough up the biggest pellet I have ever seen a bird expel.
Wildlife Notes
I photographed this Green Heron at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. It was mid-morning (9:50 A.M.), and the bird was working the muddy edge of the water.
Before the pellet came up, the heron looked uncomfortable. It stretched its neck and worked its head a bit, like it was trying to get something unstuck. Then the pellet started to slide up and out.
Pellet regurgitation is one way birds get rid of what they cannot digest. In a heron’s case, that can include things like bones, shells, scales, or insect parts. The pellet I saw this day was unusually large. I cannot say exactly what it was made of without examining it, but the size made me wonder if it had eaten something bony or shell-heavy not long before.
Green Herons always impress me. They hunt with patience and quick strikes, and they do well in tight, brushy wetland edges where bigger herons often feel too exposed.
If you enjoy odd bird behavior, here are two related posts from my site:
Photography Notes
I shot this sequence with a Canon EOS R7 and a Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM. The long focal length let me stay back and keep the heron relaxed. I was low and steady, watching the bird’s posture and waiting for the moment it finally came up.
These are the settings I used:
- Date/Time: August 19, 2022 at 9:50 A.M.
- Mode: Manual
- Aperture: f/11 (fixed)
- Shutter speed: 1/1000 sec
- ISO: 800 (Auto)
- Exposure compensation: -2/3 EV
- Focal length: 800mm
The action happens fast, so the shutter speed mattered. The morning light was bright, and the negative exposure compensation helped protect the highlights on the bird’s face and neck.
Closing
I go to places like Sequoyah for the usual things, hunting shots, clean portraits, and good light. Every so often, I get something unexpected like this. It’s not pretty, but it is real, and it’s part of how these birds make a living.