APRIL BIRD OF THE MONTH

I have chosen the Great Blue Heron for my Bird of the Month for April. The Great Blue Heron is one of the favorites at Farmington Bay. This rookery was built several years ago as an Eagle Scout Project and as many as 16 pairs of Herons have nested on it each year. I never tire of watching the Herons. In January this year while birding Farmington Bay I observed Herons in the fields hunting mice voles and gophers because all of the water was frozen over. I posted this phenomenon on this blog with pictures.

Here are some more pictures of one of my favorite birds.

Appearance

Herons

• Large, gray bird.
• Long legs
• Long, "S"-shaped neck.
• Long, thick bill.
• White crown stripe.
• Black plume extending from behind eye to off the back of the neck.
• Shaggy feathers on neck and back.
• Bluish gray back, wings, and belly.
• Reddish or gray neck.
• White morph all white with pale legs, yellow bill.

Immature Description

Juvenile similar to adult, but has gray crown, a dark upper bill, rusty brown edging to back feathers, and lacks body plumes.

Similar Species

• Sandhill Crane is larger, has a prominent tuft of bushy feathers on its rump, a shorter bill, and a red cap, and is found in fields rather than ponds.
• Little Blue Heron is much smaller and more slender, lacks plumes on the head, is entirely uniform dark blue-gray, has a dark bill with a bluish base, and greenish legs.
• Tricolored Heron is more slender, has white head plumes, and a white belly contrasting sharply with the dark chest.
• Great Egret differs from white morph by being more slender, lacking head plumes, and having black legs.
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