Jan. 19, 2014 - Green Heron

It’s been pretty wet this year in northern Florida so ponds have formed in areas that are usually dry. We are staying on St. George Island and this Green Heron was exploring a pond where the causeway leads onto the island. Green Herons are small compared to other North American herons; 18 – 22 inches, just larger than a crow.

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Green Herons eat mostly small fish and aquatic insects. But they are opportunistic and will also take frogs, tadpoles, grasshoppers, snakes, and small rodents. This heron was very intense as it stalked its prey. We watched for about 10 minutes but didn’t see it actually catch anything.

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The feathers on a Green Heron’s head can be raised to form a crest, as shown in this photo. In summer, these birds can be found in many small ponds all across the eastern half of the United States. In winter they migrate south. Some stay along the Gulf Coast but others go as far as South America.

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They have very large feet which are helpful in walking across lily pads and other pond vegetation as they pursue their prey. Green Herons have been known to drop a small stick or a feather into the water to lure fish close enough to be caught.

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Compare this picture with the next one. Here it looks like the heron has a very long neck. There’s a small bend in the neck so I think it could be extended even further to snatch some food.

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Where did that neck go? In this photo, the heron looks very compact, almost like it has no neck at all.

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