The Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, an agency of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Thursday posted a Facebook video of a bird killing and eating an alligator. The video has opened the eyes of wildlife conservationists and nature enthusiasts to the fact that birds can be a serious threat to amphibians and reptiles alike. It has also proven the point that there is little humans can do to protect endangered species from certain predators in the wild.

Great blue heron consumes a baby alligator

The nature video was that of a great blue heron killing and swallowing a baby alligator. The video was shot by photographer Scott Martin at the Viera Wetlands in Florida where natural wildlife abounds. Martin disclosed that the great blue heron "played" with the baby alligator for nearly 20 minutes before deciding that it was time to swallow it in one big guzzle, CNET reports.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology reveals that a great blue heron can sometimes grow as tall as 54 inches or 137 centimeters. However, the shallow river wading bird can only weigh a maximum of 6 pounds or 2.7 kilograms. This is one bird among many others that continues to awe natural scientists with certain behaviors that are previously unassociated with it.

Great blue herons can consume anything within striking distance

While the way the great blue heron dealt with the baby alligator may be pretty unnerving to several people, researchers disclosed that the bird is capable of eating anything within striking distance, the Huffington Post wrote. To this extent, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute noted that the big bird is capable of gulping up little mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish and even other birds. That is actually a wide variety of diet but the great blue heron must survive in its marshy habitat, and it is making the best use of survival instincts to consume anything eatable.