This Video Of Heron Gulping Down A Huge Rat Is Not For Faint-hearted

Great blue herons are often admired for their elegance and majestic presence, seen wading calmly in ponds and marshes. However, a recent incident in Harlem Meer of New York’s Central Park reflects a shocking side. On August 31, a heron was spotted consuming a huge rat. T

The startling sight was captured on camera by a Reddit user who was practising yoga. A witness described the scene as “dinosaurian,” highlighting the unsettling nature of the encounter.

The video shows the heron’s predatory display. The bird is seen swinging around a “huge” lifeless rat by its head, ready to swallow it whole. In one striking moment, the bird appears to gaze directly at the camera before rapidly gulping down the rodent in just a few quick gulps. Despite the rat’s size, it slid down the heron’s narrow throat easily with surprising ease, though there was a tense moment when the rat’s tail hung out from the bird’s mouth.

The witness, trying to enjoy a yoga session, found the scene unsettling and described the battle between the bird and its prey even more disturbing which “was not a sight for the faint of heart.”

“The rat fought hard for its life, but was mortally wounded by the heron’s beak, and then held by its neck and shook till it asphyxiated. After the rat was dead, I filmed: the blue heron devouring the rat whole, like a snake would,” the Reddit user added.

Warning: The video contains graphic content that may be unsettling.

The bone-chilling video generated quite a buzz online, sparking a range of reactions from social media users.

One user commented, “Same thing happened here in LA. The blue herons come from the arroyo and La River eat the rats at Sycamore Park then head home.”

Another user added, “These things eat anything that fits in their mouths. Seen videos of them eating smaller rabbits or large fish. Didn’t realize there were herons in NYC.”

A viewer quipped, “Forgive me, Heron, I was not familiar with your game.”

According to Dr. Dustin Partridge, NYC Bird Alliance’s director of conservation and science, these birds have a broad diet that includes various small animals. “Even though this rat isn’t exactly small, it still can fit. While great blue herons will typically eat fish, they will very happily take any amphibians, reptiles or mammals that they come across, and that rat is easy prey. Well, maybe not easy, but it’s available prey,” Dr. Dustin was quoted as saying by the New York Post.