The Bird Book/Herons, Bitterns, etc

BITTERNS and HERONS Family ARDEIDAE

Herons and Bitterns are long-legged waders, having straight, pointed bills, and with the head feathered, except for the lores.

190. BITTERN. Bautaurus lentiginosus.

Range. United States and southern British provinces, breeding in the northern half of the United States and wintering in the southern portion.

WADING BIRDS

Bittern

Jabiru

Brownish drab

This species, with its mottled rusty brownish plumage, is one of the best known of the Heron family. It is known locally by a great many names, nearly all of which have reference to the "booming" or "pumping" sound made during the mating season. They build their nests in swampy or marshy places, placing them on the ground, frequently on a tussock, entirely surrounded by water. The nest proper is only a few grasses twisted about to form a lining to the hollow. They lay from three to five eggs of brownish drab. Size 1.95 x 1.50.

They do not breed in colonies, generally, but one or two pairs nesting in one marsh. Data. Worcester, Mass., June 3, 1897. Four eggs laid in a grass lined hollow in middle of a hummock of earth and grass, in middle of marsh. Collector, James Jackson.

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191. LEAST BITTERN. Ixobrychus exilis.

Range. Common throughout the United States, especially in the eastern part, and in the southern British provinces.

This small variety of Bittern is very common in the southern portions of the United States, but less so and locally distributed in the northern portions of its range. They are very quiet and sly birds, and their presence is often unsuspected when they are really quite abundant. When approached, they will remain perfectly quiet, with the body erect and the head and neck pointed skyward, in which position their yellowish brown plumage strongly resembles the rushes among which they are found. Their nests are made of strips of rushes woven about upright

stalks, generally over water. They lay from three to five eggs of a pale bluish white color. Size 1.20 x .90. Data. Avery's Island, La., May 1, 1896. Four eggs. Nest of strips of rushes woven together to form a platform and fastened to saw grass growing on the bank of a stream. Collector, E. A. Mcllhenny.

191.1. CORY'S LEAST BITTERN. Ixobrychus neoxenus.

This rare species, of which about twenty specimens are known is probably resident in Florida, wandering north in the summer, specimens having been taken in Ontario, Canada, and in several localities in eastern United States. It is very different from the Least Bittern, having a more uniform chestnut coloration, especially on the under parts. It is twelve inches in length. Mr. C. W. Crandall has a set of five eggs of this species, taken on the Caloosahatchee River, Fla., April 15, 1891, by S. B. Ladd. nest was made of grasses and rushes placed in the cane two feet above the water.

Pale bluish gray

Least Bittern

Cory's Least Bittern

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192. GREAT WHITE HERON. Ardea occidentalis.

Range. This species occurs in the- United States regularly, only in the southern parts of Florida. It is a resident of the West Indies. This large white Heron is about the same size as the Great Blue Heron; it has none of the slender plumes found on the smaller White Herons. These birds are not uncommon in southern Florida, especially on the Keyes, where they build their nests in company with Great Blue Herons. Their nesting habits and eggs are very similar to those of the Blue Heron. Size of eggs 2.25 x 1.80. Data. Outside of Torch Key, Florida, June 16, 1899. Nest a platform of sticks about five feet from the ground, in a mangrove tree. Three eggs. Collector, O. Tollin.

WADING BIRDS

GREAT BLUE HERON. herodias.

Ardea herodias

Range. Nearly the whole of North America, except the extreme north; resident south of the middle portions of the United States and migratory north of there.

This handsome Heron is about four feet in length. Its general color is a bluish gray, relieved by a black crest, primaries and patches on the sides, and a white crown. In the south they breed in large colonies, often in company with many other species. In the northern portions of their range they breed singly or in companies of under a hundred individuals. They generally place their rude platforms of sticks well up in trees, near ponds, swamps or rivers, but in the most northerly parts of their range, where trees are scarce, they often build on the ground. Unless they are disturbed, they return to the same breeding grounds, year after year. They lay from three to five eggs of a greenish blue color. Size 2.50 x 1.50. Data. Duck Island, Maine, May 20, 1883. Three eggs. Nest of sticks and twigs, about fifteen feet from the ground. Collector, R. B. Gray.

194a. NORTHWEST COAST HERON. Ardea herodias fannini.

This darker sub-species of the breeding is found along the Pacific coast, north to Sitka, Alaska. Its nests and eggs do not differ from the former species.

Great White Heron

Great Blue Heron

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194b. WARD'S HERON. Ardea herodias rvardi.

This sub-species is a resident in Florida. It is a lighter variety than the common. It nests together with the Great Blue Heron and its habits are the same.

[195.] EUROPEAN HERON. Ardea cinerea.

This species is only an accidental straggler in Greenland. It is very similar to our Blue Heron and is the one which was formerly used to furnish sport for the royalty when falconry was at its height.

196. EGRET. Herodias egretta.

Range. Resident in the southern portions of the United States, straggling northward casually to the northern parts.

This is one of the beautiful Herons which have been sought by plume hunters till they are upon the verge of extermination. They are entirely white, with a long train of beautiful straight "aigrettes" flowing from the middle of the back. In remote localities, quite large colonies of them may still be found, but where they numbered thousands, years ago, they can be counted by dozens now. They breed in impenetrable swamps, very often in company with the following species, and also with Louisiana and Little Blue Herons, and White Ibises. Their nests are but frail platforms, generally in bushes over the water. Their usual complement of eggs numbers from three to five, four as the most common number. They are generally laid during the latter part of May, but often on account of their being disturbed, nests with eggs may be found in July. The eggs are a light bluish green in color. Size 2.25x1.45. Data. Gainesville, Florida, April 14, 1894. Four eggs on a platform of sticks and grass, in a buttonwood bush over six feet of water. Collector, George Graham.

Snowy Egret Egret

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197- SNOWY EGRET. Egretta candidissima candidissima.

Range. Common now only in restricted localities in the Gulf States and Mexico.

This species, which is smaller than the last, being but twenty-four inches in length, is also adorned with "aigrettes," but they are beautifully recurved at the tips. Owinjf to the merciless slaughter to which they have been subjected, their ranks have been woefully decimated, and it is to be hoped that the remaining ones may be safely protected. Their nesting habits are the same as the last, although, of course, the eggs are smaller. Size 1.80 x 1.25.

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Light greenish blue

WADING BIRDS

198. REDDISH EGRET. Dichromanassa rufescens.

Range. In the United States, this species is confined chiefly to the Gulf States.

It is somewhat larger than the last species, the head and neck are rufous, the body is bluish gray, and the back is adorned with slender gray plumes. It also has a white phase. This Egret is very abundant along the whole Gulf coast, but especial

Pale bluish green

ly so in Texas. Their nesting habits are identical with those of the other small Herons and Egrets. The three or four eggs are rather of a more greenish blue than the preceding. Size 1.90 x 1.45. Data. Gainesville, Florida, April 14, 1894. Three eggs. Nest of sticks and straw in a button-wood tree, two feet above the water. Collector, George Graham.

199. LOUISIANA HERON. Hydranassa tricolor ruficollis.

Range. Subtropical America, north regularly to the Gulf States and casually farther.

This Heron is of about the size of the Reddish Egret, but the neck is longer, more slender and dark, while the chin, throat and underparts are white. The plumes from the back are short, reaching barely to the end of the tail. They nest in large colonies in company with Egrets and Little Blue Herons, placing their nests in the mangroves, only a few feet above the water. Their nests are the same as those of the other species, a slight platform of sticks, and the three to five eggs are practically not distinguishable from those of the Snowy or Little Blue Herons. Size 1.75 x 1.35.

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Reddish Egret

Louisiana Heron

Pale bluish green

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Little Blue H<

Green Heron

200. LITTLE BLUE HERON. Florida ccerulea.

Range. South Atlantic and Gulf coasts, north casually to New England and Manitoba; west to Kansas and Nebraska.

A smaller species than the preceding, length 22 inches, plumage a uniform slaty blue changing to purplish red on the head and neck. They also have a white phase, but always show traces

Pale bluish green

of the slaty blue, especially on the primaries. Young birds are always white. They breed in immense rookeries during April and May. Their nesting habits and eggs are very similar to the last species, although the eggs average a trifle smaller. Size 1.75x1.25. Data. Avery's Island, Louisiana, April 21, 1896. 5 eggs. Nest a flat and frail platform of twigs in a Mimosa tree growing in floating turf, over deep water in a large swamp. Collector, E. A. Mcllhenny.

201.

GREEN HERON. virescens.

Butorides virescens

Range. Temperate and sub-tropical America, breeding north to the British Provinces.

This is the smallest of our Herons, and is well known all over the country. Sometimes they breed in numbers in rookeries, in company with the larger Herons, but in most sections of the country they will be found nesting, one or

two pairs together, along the border- of some swamp or stream. They have a greater diversity of building sites, than do any of the other Herons and frequently nest a long ways from water. Their nests may be found in alders, birches or even apple trees. It is the usual Heron type of platform, upon which the three to six eggs are laid. They are a pale greenish blue in color, and measure 1.45 x 1.10. Data. Avery's Island, Louisiana, April 10, 1894. 5 eggs on a platform of twigs placed in a willow tree growing on the edge Light bluish green o f a pond. Collected by E. A, Mcllhenny.

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WADING BIRDS

201a. FRAZAR/S GREEN HERON. Butorides virescens frazari.

A darker variety found in Lower California; nesting the same as the common species.

201b. ANTHONY'S GREEN HERON. Butorides virescens anihonyi.

A lighter, desert form found in the arid portions of the interior of southwestern United States and Mexico.

NEST AND EGGS OF GREEN HERON

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202. BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON. Nycticorax nycticorax naevius.

Range. North America from southern British Provinces, southward; winters along the Gulf coast and beyond.

A well known bird, often called "quawk" from the sound of its note frequently heard in the evening. While, in some localities, only a few pairs of these birds are found nesting together, most of them gather together into large colonies during the breeding season. In New England they generally select a remote pine grove as their

Black-crowned Night Heron Yellow-crowned Heron

Pale bluish green

breeding grounds. If not disturbed they will return to this same place each year. Their nests are built of sticks and lined with small twigs, and are placed well up towards the tops of the trees.

Frequently several nests will be found in the same tree, and I have counted as many as fifty nests in view at the same time. In large swamps in the south they generally nest at a low elevation, while in the marshes of Wisconsin and Minnesota, large colonies of them nest on the ground, making their nest of rushes. Like all Heronries, those of this species have a nauseating odor, from the remains of decayed fish, etc., which are strewn around the bases of the trees. Their eggs number from three to five and are of a pale bluish green color. Size 2.00 x 1.40. Data. Uxbridge, Mass., May 30, 1898. 4 eggs. Nest of sticks, about thirty feet up in a pine tree. Many other nests. Collector, H. A. Smith.

203. YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON. Nyctanassa violacea.

Range. Sub-tropical America, breeding along the Gulf coast and to Lower California; casually farther north, to Illinois and South Carolina.

A handsome grayish colored species, with long lanceolate plumes on the back, and two or three fine white plumes from the back of the head, like those of the Black-crowned species. Its black head, with tawny white crown and ear coverts, renders it unmistakable. This species nests in colonies or by pairs, like the preceding, and very often in company with other Herons. They lay from three to six eggs, very similar in size, shape and color to those of the Black-crowned Heron.

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