Category: Birds
These large, majestic wading birds are a common sight along coastlines, rivers, and other bodies of water that provide habitat for prey such as fish, frogs, and rodents. The heron will stand motionless until it has an opportunity to impale or grab unsuspecting prey with a lightning fast strike of its long, sharp beak. Great Blue Herons have a high percentage of rod-type photoreceptors in their eyes, giving them the ability to hunt both by day and by night.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_blue_heron
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron/lifehistory
Look out Below!
When we talk about fast animals, the one that immediately comes to mind for most people is the cheetah, who can reach 70 mph when sprinting. But that’s not even close to the peregrine falcon’s diving speed of up to 242 mph! Flying to great heights, the peregrine falcon reaches top speed performing a maneuver called the stoop: an incredibly fast, steep angled descent designed to surprise prey and hit with incredible impact. Moving so fast isn’t easy on the lungs, but the peregrine falcon has evolved bony tubercles in its nostrils that help divert airflow way from the nostrils and better manage changes in air pressure.
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Discover Animals is a web-based educational resource offered by the NAIA
