Great Egret With Frog
by Ram Vasudev
Title
Great Egret With Frog
Artist
Ram Vasudev
Medium
Photograph
Description
Great Egret (Ardea alba) with African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis), in a marsh in Newport Beach, Orange County, California
The Great Egret, also known as common egret, large egret or great white heron, is a large, widely distributed egret. Standing up to 3.3 feet tall, it can measure 31 to 41 inches in length and have a wingspan 52 to 67 inches. It feeds in shallow water or drier habitats, feeding mainly on fish, small mammals, frogs as in this photo, and occasionally small reptiles/insects, spearing them with its long, sharp bill mostly by standing still and allowing the prey to come within its striking distance of its bill which it uses as a spear. It will often wait motionless for prey, or slowly stalk its victim.
The African Clawed Frog is native of Sub-Saharan Africa and has been introduced mostly into permanent water sources in coastal Southern California. It grows to ~5.5 inches, has a flattened head and body, small eyes that are turned upward, unwebbed slender fingers, but large fully webbed hind feet equipped with large black claws. It lacks a tongue, eyelids, and external eardrums.
(Info from Californiaherps.com, reptilesofaz.com and Wikipedia.org)
Image copyrighted
© Ram Vasudev
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Uploaded
June 25th, 2013
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