An image that could have come from a book about pterosaurs due to the monochrome background of a late afternoon sky. A larger winged animal is being chased by a tern against a pinkish-gray sky. The body posture or the cutout from a body turn seems almost artistic and unusual. Although, the background of the photo is just trivial. A Gray Heron (Ardea cinerea) had flown over a mixed colony of Black-headed Gulls (Larus ridibundus) and Common Terns (Sterna hirundo). As a large bird, the Gray Heron was immediately identified by the Common Tern as a potential breeding predator and approached. Since the Gray Heron flew steadfastly towards the breeding rafts of the gull colony and eventually crossed them, the attacks were intensified, mainly by the Common Terns. The aggressive attacks of the Common Terns were impressive, as they were on skin-better feather contact with the Gray Heron. When trying to escape the predicament, it was amazing to see what contortions a flying Gray Heron is capable of. How much the Gray Heron was afraid of the situation could also be seen from the high-pitched croaking calls that the Heron made loudly.
Of course, the comparison between the dislocating Gray Heron and a pterosaur is based on the fragments of science published with which we are familiar. Much of the way of life and flight abilities of the Pterosaurs are still completely unknown. It is generally assumed that especially the small species could actively fly very well. Until now, it was assumed that the large Pterosaurs – which also brought Continue reading A memory of a Pterosaur