I saw a green-backed heron again today, under the cross-canyon bridge.
It seems to be a very skittish bird. Great blue herons don’t like human
company, but they’re sly enough to stand still and disappear into the
scenery when humans pass by. Green-backed herons don’t seem to have the
same self-control and they launch into the air at the slightest
disturbance. The ones on campus seem to spend the whole day fleeing
Reedies and looking for a quiet spot in the canyon.
To recognize a green-backed heron, look for the bright yellow legs.
It’s got the same general body shape as a great blue heron, but it’s
much smaller and shorter. When it stalks a fish through shallow water,
the heron hunches down low and lifts its feet almost up to its chest.
You can see a nice photo of a green-backed heron here on the USGS web site: http://biology.usgs.gov/features/photogal/gallery7.html
– posted by Niels
