denise
12-10-2008, 06:08 PM
Herons are a group of 59 or so long legged, large wading birds.
They have long necks and large bills that they use effectively for hunting. Different species use different techniques for catching prey, some stand quietly at the waters edge waiting to spear fish, others stir the water with their feet or wings, to disturb prey and catch them off guard. Some spread their wings to create shadows on the water, giving small fish the impression that they are under a protective log. With a sudden burst of speed, the herons long neck darts out, and the razor sharp bill impales the doomed fish.
A herons neck is quite unusual and distinguishes them from other similar looking birds such as storkes and cranes. They can only bend their necks in one plane; they cannot move it from side to side, only backwards and forwards. Herons also hold their long necks in an 'S' shape with their head held back between their shoulders as they are flying.
Of the 59 known species of herons in the world today, most are very rarely seen as most are very secretive animals. Unfortunately, more than 20% of heron species are also endangered. The main threat against herons is habitat destruction, the fragile wetlands that they make their home in are subject to draining, human construction and pollution.
There are 10 heron species that live in Florida, the most common are egrets (white feathered herons), and the great blue heron.
http://www.dayo.com/fishid/heronleggy_111.jpg
Great blue heron, Ardea herodias, Everglades, Florida
Photo by Karen Byrne
The most widespread heron in North America. A rare, all white version is sometimes found from South Florida and the Caribbean, is known as the "Great White Heron."
Great Blue Herons have suffered less from plume hunters and pesticides than other herons, and their number continue to remain healthy.
http://www.dayo.com/fishid/greatblueheron_2weforanimals.jpg
Great blue herons, Ardea herodias, are the largest herons in North America. When fully grown they stand at four feet tall, and have a wingspan of six feet. They can live to be more than 20 years old.
They live and hunt along the shores of lagoons, swamps, streams, and springs. They usually feed while standing very still in the water, but will also drop from the air, or a perch, into the water to startle prey. As large wading birds, great blue herons are able to feed in deeper waters not accessible to other herons, which is probably a key to their extensive range.
Great blue herons sometimes gather at fish hatcheries, much to the dismay of fish farmers. however, a recent study found that herons eat mostly diseased fish that would have died shortly anyway. Sick fish spend more time near the surface of the water where they are more vulnerable to herons.
Although much more elusive, the black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax,is also a common year round resident in Florida.
http://www.dayo.com/fishid/Blackcrownednightheron_1weforanimalsfws.jpg
Photo courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service (http://www.fws.gov/)
Black-crowned night herons are most active at dusk and at night, they feed in many the same places that other heron species frequent during the day. Black-crowned night herons stand very still at the water's edge and wait to ambush prey such as small fish, frogs, aquatic insects. During the day they rest in trees or bushes.
http://www.dayo.com/fishid/juvenilenightheron_1weforanimals.jpg
Juvenile black-crowned night heron
They have long necks and large bills that they use effectively for hunting. Different species use different techniques for catching prey, some stand quietly at the waters edge waiting to spear fish, others stir the water with their feet or wings, to disturb prey and catch them off guard. Some spread their wings to create shadows on the water, giving small fish the impression that they are under a protective log. With a sudden burst of speed, the herons long neck darts out, and the razor sharp bill impales the doomed fish.
A herons neck is quite unusual and distinguishes them from other similar looking birds such as storkes and cranes. They can only bend their necks in one plane; they cannot move it from side to side, only backwards and forwards. Herons also hold their long necks in an 'S' shape with their head held back between their shoulders as they are flying.
Of the 59 known species of herons in the world today, most are very rarely seen as most are very secretive animals. Unfortunately, more than 20% of heron species are also endangered. The main threat against herons is habitat destruction, the fragile wetlands that they make their home in are subject to draining, human construction and pollution.
There are 10 heron species that live in Florida, the most common are egrets (white feathered herons), and the great blue heron.
http://www.dayo.com/fishid/heronleggy_111.jpg
Great blue heron, Ardea herodias, Everglades, Florida
Photo by Karen Byrne
The most widespread heron in North America. A rare, all white version is sometimes found from South Florida and the Caribbean, is known as the "Great White Heron."
Great Blue Herons have suffered less from plume hunters and pesticides than other herons, and their number continue to remain healthy.
http://www.dayo.com/fishid/greatblueheron_2weforanimals.jpg
Great blue herons, Ardea herodias, are the largest herons in North America. When fully grown they stand at four feet tall, and have a wingspan of six feet. They can live to be more than 20 years old.
They live and hunt along the shores of lagoons, swamps, streams, and springs. They usually feed while standing very still in the water, but will also drop from the air, or a perch, into the water to startle prey. As large wading birds, great blue herons are able to feed in deeper waters not accessible to other herons, which is probably a key to their extensive range.
Great blue herons sometimes gather at fish hatcheries, much to the dismay of fish farmers. however, a recent study found that herons eat mostly diseased fish that would have died shortly anyway. Sick fish spend more time near the surface of the water where they are more vulnerable to herons.
Although much more elusive, the black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax,is also a common year round resident in Florida.
http://www.dayo.com/fishid/Blackcrownednightheron_1weforanimalsfws.jpg
Photo courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service (http://www.fws.gov/)
Black-crowned night herons are most active at dusk and at night, they feed in many the same places that other heron species frequent during the day. Black-crowned night herons stand very still at the water's edge and wait to ambush prey such as small fish, frogs, aquatic insects. During the day they rest in trees or bushes.
http://www.dayo.com/fishid/juvenilenightheron_1weforanimals.jpg
Juvenile black-crowned night heron