Birds Posters
Herons
The herons are wading birds in the Ardeidae family. There are 64 recognised species in this family.
Some are called egrets or bitterns instead of herons.
Galapagos herons, also known as lava herons, are found only in the Neotropical region.
Adult Butorides sundevalli individuals are a uniform ashy-gray over the entire body.
Males are slightly larger and more colorful than females, particularly during the mating season.
The bill, 6.35 cm in length, is gray. The bills of males turn shiny black during the mating season.
Great Blue Herons congregate at fish hatcheries, potentially creating problems for the fish farmers.
However, studies have shown that the herons tend to eat sick fish (which spend more time near the surface) that would have died anyway.
They are the largest herons in North America.
They eat mainly fish but will also eat other small animals. They have been known to choke to death on prey that is too large.
The Black-crowned Night-Heron is a patient hunter. It will often stand still and just wait for a frog or other small animals to pass by.
They may also hunt by vibrating their bills in the water to lure prey into investigating the disturbance.
Young Black-crowned Night-Herons often disgorge their stomach contents when disturbed.
This is convenient for ornithologists who want to study their diet.
Green herons have a wide range in North America, but are generally found near wetlands.
They occur as far north as southern Canada and as far south as northern South America.
Green herons are small and stocky, with legs that are relatively short, compared to other herons.
Body length ranges from 41 to 46 cm. Adults have a glossy greenish-black cap and back, wings that are black grading into green and/or blue on the edges, and underparts that are gray.
The Green Heron is one of the few tool-using birds. It commonly drops bait onto the surface of the water and grabs the small fish that are attracted.
The Green Heron is part of a complex of small herons that sometimes are considered one species.
When lumped, they are called Green-backed Heron. When split, they are the Green Heron, the Striated Heron, and the Galapagos Heron.
They tend to wander after the breeding season is over. Most probably seek more favorable foraging areas and do not travel far. Occasionally some turn up in England and France.
The Little Blue Heron is found along the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to Florida, but is most abundant along the Gulf of Mexico.
The Little Blue Heron is a small, dark bird that ranges from 63-74 centimeters in length.
It can have a wingspread of up to 1.04 meters. The sexes look similar, but the young look very different from the adults.
An adult can be recognized by its purple-maroon head and neck.
The rest of the plumage is slate gray. The long neck is usually held in an "S" shaped curve while the bird is at rest or in flight.
Because the Little Blue Heron does not bear long showy plumes in breeding adult plumage, it largely escaped serious population declines from feather hunting for the millinery trade.