Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron

Follow The Leader: Roseate Spoonbill and Tricolored Heron

Note: this post was supposed to get published this morning before “King of the Hill” and for some unknown reason is marked “Missed Schedule.” Not sure what is up with that, but here it is … I hope.

Wading birds often take advantage of another bird of their own or a different species leading the way as they feed.

Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron
Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron

It can work both ways.

Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron
Tricolored Heron Following Roseate Spoonbill

The Spoonbill will benefit from the edible morsels that get stirred up by the Heron’s passing by as he sifts the water.

Roseate Spoonbill With Tricolored Heron
Roseate Spoonbill With Tricolored Heron

The Heron is looking for larger prey, which also can reveal their position as the birds wade around.

Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron
Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron

These two birds stuck together for several minutes until the Spoonbill got distracted by another activity, seen in my next post.

Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron
Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron

Black Point Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge,  FL
April 12, 2022

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