Tag Archives: great-blue-heron

God’s Creation – The Black Heron (Umbrella Bird)

1 Thessalonians 5:5

“Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.”

The best fishermen not only know where the fish are biting, but exactly what type of bait or lure is needed to catch the big ones. That’s why I say that the best fisherman of all is not a man but a bird.

Black heron comes out of its feathered canopy after catching a fishThe black heron knows exactly where and when the fish are biting. He goes fishing for his food by wading into shallow lakes and ponds. But there’s a problem. Fish avoid the water’s surface to avoid the bright rays of the sun. Even if a fish does come close to the surface, the black heron is unable to see it because he is blinded by the sun’s reflection.

But like I said, this bird is a master fisherman. What he does is shape his wings into a large black umbrella. He then crouches down until his wings are almost touching the water, effectively turning daylight into darkness, and attracting fish to the shade. Under cover of his umbrella, the black heron pokes his head into the water and comes out with a squirming fish in his beak.

This kind of fishing is known as canopy feeding. How did the black heron learn to fish like this? Creationists know, but evolutionists have no reasonable answer. They only have a term. Yes, evolutionists are good at coming up with terms like “canopy feeding”, but when it comes to explaining how such a thing originated in the first place, they are still very much in the dark.


This article intrigued me so much, that I decided to investigate further.  My father was an avid fisherman, and always took the boat to shady areas of the lake for the best fishing.  Even my mother would have admitted  that my dad’s brain was larger than the umbrella bird’s brain is.  This is another fascinating example of God’s provision and care. My father learned through experience to fish in shady areas.  The Black Heron does this without being taught.  

From wiki: The black heron (Egretta ardesiaca) also known as the black egret, is an Africanheron. It is a medium-sized (42.5–66 cm in height), black-plumaged heron with black legs and yellow feet. It is found south of the Sahara Desert, including Madagascar, and prefers shallow open waters, such as the edges of freshwater lakes and ponds. It may also be found in marshesriver edges, rice fields, and seasonally flooded grasslands. In coastal areas, it may be found feeding along tidal rivers and creeks, in alkaline lakes, and tidal flats. Its breeding range is between Senegal and Sudan and to the south. It is found mainly on the eastern half of the continent. It has also been observed in Greece.[2]

This map displays the Black Heron’s (umbrella birds) distribution:

Black Heron

Notice the narrator in the next video repeatedly mentions how amazing it is that this bird “adapted” itself to fish in this ingenious manner.  Very clever bird-brain! 

black heron nest

As you can see, black heron are colony nest builders.  Many heron families live together in the same large tree.  It is quite noisy at feeding time!  


IN THE BIBLE, ALL HERON SPECIES ARE IN THE LIST OF UNCLEAN FLYING CREATURES.

Leviticus 11:18-20

18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle,

19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.

20 All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.

Deuteronomy 14:17-19

17 And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant,

18 And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.

19 And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten.

It is to be noted that birds of prey, and carnivorous animals were named as being abominations for food.  While we are not under such dietary laws now – it is interesting to think about God’s care for His people.  Animals and birds that eat other creatures are prone to more parasites and diseases than herbivores are.  Scientifically – they are not safe to eat!  http://www.eufic.org/article/en/food-safety-quality/animal-health/expid/review-animal-diseases/

Egyptian and other cultures surrounding Israel, had diets that included many of these “unclean” animals. 

Exodus 15:26

And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.