Epic Battle Between Great Blue Heron and a Snake Caught on Film

Great blue herons and snakes have a complex relationship that goes beyond the simple dynamic between predator and prey. These large water birds can take on large water snakes, which often make for incredible battles as the two animals tussle. Florida-based wildlife photographer Marcos Rodriguez is quite familiar with these dynamics, as he's often witnessed these fights for survival.

Recently, some images of a great blue heron and a snake the photographer took in late February have gone viral. In the photographs, the bird has the snake's head in its mouth, but the serpent, not ready to give up, has coiled itself around the heron's beak. Rodriguez has already witnessed one fight between a heron and a snake that day. But this instance, which occurred close to where he was standing, was particularly satisfying because he arrived as the heron first caught the snake. This allowed him to document the scene in its entirety, with the photographer likening it to “having VIP seats to a concert.”

“Throughout the whole ordeal, there were moments where the great blue heron looked like it had the upper hand and being successful at tiring the snake, and then all of a sudden, the snake would get a second wind and coil back around the bird's neck,” he tells My Modern Met.

“There were other times when it looked as if the snake was going to be able to get off the heron’s grip, but then the heron would manage to hold tighter. It was an absolute thriller.”

All told, the tussle took about 20 minutes, with Rodriguez not entirely sure of who would make it out on top. However, in the end, the great blue heron wore out its opponent and feasted on the snake. For Rodriguez, who took about 100 photos of the thrilling moment, it was a wonderful reminder of the unexpected joys one can find in nature.

As the photographs make their rounds across the internet, Rodriguez has gotten messages from many people indicating that they'd like to get the scene tattooed on their bodies, something he considers “the highest validation anyone can get.” Of course, in this day and age, many were also skeptical of the scene, calling it AI-generated. Rather than being offended, the photographer looks at this as a sort of compliment.

“I guess nowadays that is code for ‘These pictures are so amazing no human would be able to capture them.'”

To see more of his stunning bird photography, follow Marcos Rodriguez on Instagram. For prints, including images of the heron and snake, check out his online shop.