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Feathery Friday: Green heron
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The punk rocker of the bird world. Green Heron (Butorides virescens) at the North Pond in Lincoln Park
This small wading bird is common in wet spots across much of North America. There's one at the North Pond that I have seen for the past three years now. You really have to look for him/her under the trees or perching on tree branches. He/she is usually on the Nature Museum side of the pond.
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Standing still
It might be difficult to find it - it a small bird, its coloration blends well with the surroundings, and it stands motionless waiting for its prey, usually small fish.
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Every year, when I see this bird at the pond, I would patiently wait for it to catch a fish and take a photo of it with a fish in its mouth, but so far I have been unlucky. Apparently it is a spectacle when it catches its prey - with an explosive dart of its head and neck. It's also one of the few birds that uses bait to attract fish, it drops such things as bread crusts, insects, and twigs onto the water
Bad hair day
From the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:
Adult description:
- Small, dark heron.
- Long yellowish legs.
- Long, dark, pointed bill.
- Long neck often kept pulled in tight to body.
- Legs and neck long, but shorter than most herons.
More information: All About Birds.
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