Sunbittern: Eurypygidae - Diet

Sunbitterns have a diverse diet including vertebrates, animals with backbones, such as small fish, tadpoles, eels, and frogs, as well as smaller animals such as spiders, flies, water beetles, cockroaches, katydids, dragonfly larvae, shrimp, crabs, earthworms, and moths. Sunbitterns hunt by walking slowly, looking for and following prey carefully with their necks pulled back, then quickly jabbing and spearing with their long bills. Much of the hunting is done in shallow water, although sunbitterns also forage along the forest floor. Sunbitterns have the unusual habit of washing their food before eating, particularly when they are feeding their young.