The Green Heron

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It then pulled it"s neck in but remained poised, concentrated and alert, it"s eyes fixed to one spot only and that was the bait. A flurry of movement in the water indicated the interest the fish showed, but the first drop was not successful. The bird leaned over, picked up the bait, moved a few steps to another spot, and repeated the process. It shook the bait in the water, I suppose to add attraction for the fish, and resumed its poise.

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It wasn"t long before a quick dart forward of its head resulted in a fish dangling from its beak. The commentator thought the hunting method had been learned by watching people throw bread into the water, but I find that doubtful. When you see a fish jump straight up out of the water in order to catch a dragonfly perched on a branch 5" above, you begin to think that in their own little world, animals also make the most of what they have.

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The Green Heron, a small Heron of North America, though, is really strange. It also uses bait to catch fish, locating its food by sight, but it is the contrast between the size of its body and the size of its feet that is most noteworthy. It"s toes are very long which means that it has to really lift its feet in order to get them off the ground. The toes also need to be negotiated around the opposite leg when they are lifted. This makes for slow and cumbersome progress. It"s body is fairly small, so then why these large toes and long legs?

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It has this concertina-like ability. From a small oblong bundle to a thin sleek statute. Almost like a controlled jack-in-the-box.

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Watching it perch, poise and seek for food, the legs and toes come into their own. It can stretch far out over the water without any fear of toppling forward, It can hold its hunting pose, still, stealthy and streamlined, watching for fish as they come to the surface for a tidbit. This hunting skill successfully keeps their feathers shiny and their bodies sleek.

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Green herons are found in the wetlands of low lying areas like swamps, creeks, streams, ponds, marches, and lake edges, migrating to mangrove swamps along coasts in winter.

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The best way to see these birds is either to join a bird-watching group in your county who know when and where to find them, or for yourself to get outdoors during summer to places where they are likely to be. Or view them from the water. Go recreational paddling in a small boat. (It can be a very cost effective and pleasant day out.) Take a picnic and binoculars and enjoy yourself.

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For more information on what small boats are available visit:

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