A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) was observed killing a California butterfly ray (Gymnura marmorata) with a morphological abnormality off coastal California. Even though this heron species has previously been reported actively hunting batoids, this observation is the first documenting of an attack by a bird (or any other predator) on a butterfly ray. The behavior observed in this event adds butterfly rays as potential prey items of A. herodias and provides further insights on both this bird's ecology as a nearshore predator and that of ray species like G. marmorata as important prey.
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18 September 2023
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Predation on an Abnormal California Butterfly Ray (Gymnura marmorata) and its Ecological Implications
Victor Bach Muñoz
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Waterbirds
Vol. 45 • No. 4
December 2022
Vol. 45 • No. 4
December 2022
California Butterfly Ray
ecology
Great Blue Heron
malformation
predation