I watched this Yellow-crowned Night Heron as it fed. It's bill of fare consists of minnows, eels, shrimp and its mainstay, crabs. Smaller crabs are swallowed whole complete with appendages but larger crabs get special and gruesome treatment. First the claws are knocked off against a rock then the shell is crushed in the middle and then its tossed in the air and swallowed whole. If you doubt this check the photographs.

The Unlucky Crab is Nabbed

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Down the Hatch

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A Job Well Done

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The Smaller Crabs are Eaten Whole

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