A Little Egret, Egretta garzetta, from Family Ardeidae, was seen feeding solitarily in the Pelton Canal. It displayed its characteristic feeding behaviour – running short distances and then suddenly turning right or left, flapping its wings and running or flying and then suddenly stabbing the prey in the shallow water. The bird was very successful in its feeding endeavour – chasing and delivering a quick and slick harpoon-action on its fish prey. In this clip by Ivan Lim, the egret is feeding on small fish. A Little Heron can also be seen (1:40 time-stamp) fishing by staying still and staring into the water, another fishing technique employed by the Ardeidae family of birds. In the later part of the clip (2:00 time-stamp), another Little Egret exhibits territorial behaviour by chasing the first one away. The second egret is bigger in size and in breeding plumage, displaying ornamental plumes on its head and back.
Watch the video clip to the end to capture the joy and fears of this Little Egret.
