Wading Birds: The Herons

For the next couple of days -- barring any any amazing new adventure -- I will show you some of the Wading Birds (excluding shorebirds that both wade and "swim" which I'll cover another time).  First up, the Herons, starting with the Great Blue Heron. I have a great many Great Blue Heron photos, some of which I have already showed you. This one I just find interesting. The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the Heron family, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America, as well as the West Indies and the Galapagos Islands.  It is a rare vagrant to Europe. It is the largest North American heron, with a head-to-tail length of 36-55 in, a wingspan of 166-79 in, and a weight of 4.4-8 pounds. Notable features include slaty a pair of black plumes running from just above the eye to the back of the head. The feathers on the lower neck are long and plume-like; it also has plumes on the lower back at the start of the breeding season. 

Great Blue Heron

photo taken at Christopher Columbus Lake, Arizona

The Black-crowned Night Heron is a medium-sized heron found throughout a large part of the world, except in the coldest regions and Australia. The breeding habitat is fresh and salt-water wetlands. Black-crowned Night Herons nest in colonies on platforms of sticks in a group of trees, or on the ground in protected locations such as islands or reed beds. Three to eight eggs are laid. It is migratory in the northernmost part of its range, but otherwise resident. The North American population winters in Mexico and the southern United States. They stand still at the water's edge and wait to ambush prey, mainly at night or early morning. They primarily eat small fish, crustaceans, frogs, and aquatic insects. During the day they rest in trees or bushes. 

Black Crowned Night Heron

photo taken at Agua Caliente Arizona

The Green Heron lives in the wetlands of North and Central America. It is relatively small; adult body length is about 17 in. The neck is often pulled in tight against the body. Adults have a glossy, greenish-black cap, a greenish back and wings that are grey-black grading into green or blue, a chestnut colored neck with a white line down the front, grey underparts and short yellow legs. The bill is dark with a long, sharp point. Female adults tend to be smaller than males, and have duller and lighter plumage, particularly in the breeding season. Juveniles are duller, with the head sides, neck and underparts streaked brown and white, tan-splotched back and wing covets and greenish-yellow legs and bill. Hatchlings are covered in down feathers which are light grey above and white on the belly. The species is most conspicuous during dusk and dawn, and typically retreats to sheltered areas in daytime. They will feed actively during the day, however, if hungry or provisioning young. Shore-living individuals adapt to the rhythm of the tides. They mainly eat small fish, frogs and aquatic arthropods, but may take any invertebrate or vertebrate prey they can catch, including such animals like leeches and mice. Green Herons are intolerant of other birds when feeding and are not seen to forage in groups. They typically stand still on shore or in shallow water or perch upon branches and await prey. Sometimes they drop food, insects, or other small objects on the water's surface to attract fish, making them one of the few known "tool using" species. They are able to hover briefly to catch prey.

Green Heron

photo taken at Agua Caliente, Arizona