While many people quickly spot the statuesque form of a great blue heron, the secretive and smaller green heron can be elusive. At 18” in length, these birds crouch and move slowly (or stand completely still) amongst the dense vegetation along the edges of shallow water.
Their colors appear dark in the shadows although the breast and neck are deep chestnut and the back is iridescent green. Seldom found in colonies, they are often solitary or nest in isolated pairs during breeding season. For the best chance to see them, slowly scan the banks of streams, lakes, ponds and marshes. Watch along the water line for a horizontal (approximately crow-sized) silhouette usually on a low perch.
Bird Bits
Fun Facts: The green heron is one of only a few birds who uses “bait” to catch fish! With a bit of birding-with-binoculars-luck you might see them strategically drop twigs, leaves, feathers, insects and other small items on the surface of the water to attract their next meal.
Habitat: The green heron may be found around a wide variety of freshwater and marine aquatic habitats. They prefer areas with forested or marsh-like shoreline vegetation. They breed in the Blue Ridge and across the eastern half of the United States; reside along the southern coastal regions year-round; and migrate to and through the West Indies, Central and northern South America.
Conservation Note: Over the past five decades green heron numbers are estimated to have declined by 68% cumulatively. Classified as a species of “low concern,” continuing loss and degradation of wetlands remain a threat to this particular bird.
ABOUT THIS SERIES:
“Birds of the Blue Ridge” showcases frequently seen and rare birds across the southern Appalachian region. For over three decades, Angela Minor has traveled with binoculars and field guides across the continental U.S., Alaska, the Caribbean, and seven European countries. She is a travel and nature freelance writer for several regional and national print magazines, and also created and authored the state park birding series for Bird Watcher’s Digest.
Read More by Angela Minor: BlueRidgeCountry.com/AngelaMinor
