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
“Bird Brain” should be taken as a compliment.
Calling someone a “bird brain” is an insult, but perhaps it should be reconsidered given how many birds display high intelligence and adaptability. For just a few examples, the kea from New Zealand can solve logical puzzles and work with other birds in order to acquire food, observations of Cormorants used by Chinese fishermen indicate that the birds can count up to seven, and many species of birds use simple tools such as sticks to help them acquire food or other items that catch their fancy! There is also a cockatoo named Snowball who can dance to the beat of Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself,” though whether this indicates intelligence or not may be a matter of debate or personal taste.
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Discover Animals is a web-based educational resource offered by the NAIA
