African black herons have a very unique hunting technique – they use their wings to form an umbrella, which not only reduces glare but also makes their prey, the fish, feel false security.

Known as “cover feeding”, the hunting technique used by black herons is one of the most stealthy observation techniques in nature. The black bird walks slowly through the shallow water and then spreads its wings around its body, to create an umbrella that blocks out the light. Although it’s not entirely clear why African herons use this particular technique, scientists theorize that it has several advantages, such as reducing glare and attracting fish into the trap.

A commonly accepted theory is that small fish, seeking refuge from predators such as the African black heron, are attracted to the shade created by the heron’s wings, so they rush towards their death. yourself to find safety. And because the shade helps the bird see its victim more clearly, it can easily snatch it out of the water with its long beak.

” It’s all part of herons’ hunting tactics, which spend a lot of time looking for specific prey,” Bill Shields, a professor at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, told Audubon. small just below the surface of the water.”

Interestingly, African herons have bright yellow feet, which may have been used to annoy and distract their targets, the way other herons do, but the “screen feeding” technique che” proved effective, so birds evolved to rely almost exclusively on it.

“ It could also be argued that the attraction of both shad and light legs work in tandem to attract fish into striking range, ” says Evans.

Reference: OddityCentral