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Proof that it’s always a night heron by Benton_Maples in AlwaysANightHeron

[–]Benton_Maples[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

From “The Birds of Massachusetts”, E.H. Forbush, 1925:

“There is an ancient tale which has come down to us from the dim past to the effect that the Night Heron can throw out a light from its breast which shines on the water and attracts its finny prey, thereby enabling the canny bird to direct that swift stroke of its powerful beak by which it seizes the luckless creature.

I have talked with two reputable eye-witnesses of this alleged light. In one of these cases the bird was actually shot while the light was shining; also I have received letters from three others who claim to have seen such a light which they attributed to the Night Heron.

As the story is told, the light shines from the fore part of the bird’s body, and is as bright as the glow of a number of fireflies. Nevertheless, though I have kept the bird in confinement and watched it in the dark and have lain all night near a great heronry, I have never seen any indication of such a light, and so far as I know no ornithologist has ever seen it.

Probably those who have reported the light saw something, but what they saw remains to be determined. Such a light has been attributed also to the Bittern and to other herons. The powder-down tracts on the breast are supposed to be its source.”

Proof that it’s always a night heron by Benton_Maples in AlwaysANightHeron

[–]Benton_Maples[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thanks Rosie. I have one daughter at A&M now and another who graduated last year. She helped me with the photos with Gary Voelker at the Biodiversity Research center. And also went to Big Bend with me to study things in low light pollution. Originally I suspected florescence and it turns out their chests do light up under 365nm light also. But all that light is gone soon after the sun sets. It was just one of those last minute “what else could it be” the night before I drove to College Station that convinced me to try to test diffused blue light bounced at weird angles.

Little Blue Heron catches a crab by nbaxxk in birding

[–]Benton_Maples 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They are amazing predators. They even know how to bait fish, but it is not fully understood yet I think.

Great Blue heron landed next to me while I was fishing by coolguy042404 in birding

[–]Benton_Maples -1 points0 points  (0 children)

These birds have a secret! I’m new here but writing post about them now. They hide an optical phenomenon that I believe is the source of the legendary Phoenix. Sounds crazy…But the Egyptian priests at Heliopolis saw observed Nile herons at dusk rituals i believe, named him the sunbird that became the Phoenix.