The Bird Book Part 23

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 2.25 1.45.

Data.--Gainesville, Florida, April 14, 1894. Four eggs on a platform of sticks and gra.s.s, in a b.u.t.ton-wood bush over six feet of water.

Collector, George Graham.

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. Owing 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 1.25.

[Ill.u.s.tration 124: Snowy Egret. Egret.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Light greenish blue.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

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198. REDDISH EGRET. _Dichromana.s.sa 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 especially 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 1.45. Data.--Gainesville, Florida, April 14, 1894. Three eggs. Nest of sticks and straw in a b.u.t.ton-wood tree, two feet above the water. Collector, George Graham.

199. LOUISIANA HERON. _Hydrana.s.sa tricolor ruficollis._

Range.--Sub-tropical 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 1.35.

[Ill.u.s.tration 125: Pale bluish green.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Reddish Egret. Louisiana Heron.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Pale bluish green.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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200. LITTLE BLUE HERON. _Florida caerulea._

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 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 1.75 1.25. 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. McIlhenny.

201. GREEN HERON. _Butorides virescens 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 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 of a pond.

Collected by E. A. McIlhenny.

[Ill.u.s.tration 126: Pale bluish green.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Little Blue Heron. Green Heron.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Light bluish green.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

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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 anthonyi._

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

[Ill.u.s.tration 127: NEST AND EGGS OF GREEN HERON.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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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 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 1.40.

Data.--Uxbridge, Ma.s.s., 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. _Nyctana.s.sa violacea_.

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