This heron is waiting for a small group of ducks to vacate a log across the water: its favourite perch.

Herons are highly specialised hunters. With their long legs, they can wade silently into shallow water, and their dagger-like bills are perfectly adapted for spearing or grasping fish, amphibians, and invertebrates. Their hunting strategy relies on patience—standing completely still or moving with deliberate slowness until prey comes within striking distance. The individual in the video had assumed a classic ambush posture, with their head extended slightly forward and eyes focused on the surface film, where small fish and frogs are often active.

The ducks nearby, were engaged in a distinctly different feeding behaviour. Dabbling ducks forage by tipping forward in the water to reach submerged vegetation and small invertebrates, creating surface ripples and disturbance as they go. Unlike the heron, they are not predators of fish, so there is little direct competition between the two. Still, the ducks’ movements can sometimes flush prey into open water, indirectly benefiting the heron.

This quiet coexistence demonstrates the diversity of feeding niches within wetland ecosystems. While the heron and ducks share the same pond, their survival strategies are distinct, allowing them to utilise different resources within the same habitat. Such observations highlight the ecological balance that makes wetlands so productive and vital for wildlife.