Bet You’ve Never Seen This Before…


This is a Kingfisher casting a pellet. These kinds of birds (along with owls, herons and shrikes, etc.) swallow their prey whole. Much of it is digested but the leftovers—feathers, fur, scales, bones, etc.—get compacted into the bird’s crop and coughed up a short time later.

Not exactly pretty but, absolutely, one of those cool things that should make you want to call over the nearest kid (or the nearest person who’s still a kid at heart) and watch their reaction to the video.

Also, if you find one of those pellets, dissect it. You’ll get an idea of what the bird has been eating.

How do you find the pellets? By looking around the perches where the bird hunts or roosts. Happy hunting!

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Subscribe to Redwood Planet on YouTube to see more of these glimpses into our local wildlife. Also, if you have videos or photos you would like to share contact [email protected].

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Mercy Me, Mabel!
Guest
Mercy Me, Mabel!
8 years ago

Reminds me of my cat…. gick.

Jackie Ginn
Guest
Jackie Ginn
8 years ago

Did you take this video, Kym? If so, wondering if it was just pure good timing, or if you had an idea this was going to happen. And, thanks, but I’ll pass on dissecting any pellets I run across!

Alan Peterson
Guest
8 years ago
Reply to  Jackie Ginn

That was me. I was waiting for the kingfisher to dive at something but it just sat there for a while, threw up, then got spooked and left when a Peregrine Falcon arrived.

0LDMANWHOSTUMBLESINTHEWOODS
Guest
0LDMANWHOSTUMBLESINTHEWOODS
8 years ago

So…… That”s what those little fur caccoons are. Owl pellets are also fun to study , lots of mouse and shrew sculls and bones….Mystery solved. Next case …… Strange, haunting high pitch whistling in the deep woods , around streams and river…. The Ex pert says its my hearing aid… .Fisher martin?, mountian lion? I always expect to see a person appear. Big foot calling the salmon? Or perhaps a southern Arcadian calling an oyster?One things for sure youll never hear it unless your in the woods…. Love the nature posts thanks…..

Anon Forrest
Guest
8 years ago

Might be Bob Cat. Two “notes” short low to longer high. (The high note is more of a “scream.”)
All males in the cat family have barbed penises. Easy in, rough out. It is the stimulation of the painful withdrawal which triggers ovulation.
The Lions make similar sounds, but MUCH louder. Much. (When I go to check out such sounds, I’m always packing. One never knows, eh?) af

THC
Guest
THC
8 years ago

If it sounds kinda like a squeaking tree it might be an elk or deer.

birdman
Guest
8 years ago

high pitch whistling in the deep woods might be a varied thrush (bird). they are very common and whistle back and forth in different pitches. check them out at the link. somewhere on the page you can listen to their whistle.

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/varied-thrush

Triniboldticino
Guest
Triniboldticino
8 years ago

Learn something every day. I was just showing the granddaughter what an owl pellet was this past weekend. Never knew kingfishers harked one up like that.

A
Guest
A
8 years ago

I believe the technical term is yarp, as in yarping up a pellet.

A
Guest
A
8 years ago
Reply to  A

This kingfisher yarps a pellet as noble as any owl.

DaPisan
Guest
DaPisan
8 years ago

ok

Smoogie
Guest
Smoogie
8 years ago

Winner of the 2015 Golden Yarp Award

Sparklemahn
Guest
Sparklemahn
8 years ago

Cartmahn theet out of his mouth and then many other South Park residents did, too.

A
Guest
A
8 years ago

Sorrin and Gylfie would certainly approve.