Great Blue Heron Unable To Hunt

The following story about a great blue heron was submitted by Carolina Waterfowl Rescue in North Carolina.

Earlier this year, we got in a great blue heron who had become entangled in a fishing line on his right leg. The problem was far more serious than just the entanglement, as the bulky lure and debris accompanying the line made it nearly impossible for the heron to hunt efficiently.

The wound from an embedded monofilament in combination with the difficulty, if not inability, to hunt took a quick toll on his body condition. By the time he was captured and transported to the rescue, he was emaciated and weak.

We needed to be careful with what and how we fed him, as it is well known that herons stress easily. For this reason, we decided to combine fluid therapy with feedings using a mixture of EmerAid IC Piscivore and EmerAid IC Carnivore. This mix allowed us to simulate the natural diet of primarily fish with the occasional small rodent.

We were successful in rehabbing the heron, and he went on to be released.