84 



Distinctions. Adult is distinguished by colour as described above. The white, young 

 bird closely resembles the juvenile Louisiana Heron but can be differentiated by its greenish 

 yellow legs and blue-slaty tips to the primaries. 



Nesting. In communities, in nests of sticks in bushes or trees over water. 



Distribution. Tropical America. Breeds in the southern and Gulf states. Of only 

 accidental occurrence in Canada. 



Birds of adult plumage seldom occur in Canada. The juveniles are the 

 only ones that are to be expected to wander into our confines. 



Economic Status. Too rare in Canada to have any economic import- 

 ance. 



201. Green Heron, fly-up-the-creek. fr. — le heron vert. Butorides vires- 

 cens. L, 17. Smallest of the common Herons. Back lustrous grey-green with short 

 plume-like feathers draping over the wings. Face, sides of neck, and throat, as well as 

 the underparts, rich chestnut. Head has a black cap lengthened into a small crest. 



Distinctions. The above description may seem to resemble the last species, but the 

 evident green sheen of back, absence of neck plumes, smaller size, and heavier build, 

 prevent serious confusion. This is, moreover, a common species within its range and the 

 one most hkely to be met with in the Great Lakes region. Any comparable species is very 

 rare. 



Field Marks. Size and general coloration. 



Nesting. SoUtary and not in communities, in flimsy and open nest of sticks in bushes 

 or trees usually over water. 



Distribution. Moderately common in southern Ontario, but rare eastward. Breeds 

 wherever found in Canada. 



SUBSPECIES. The Green Heron is subspecifically divided, but the type form, 

 Northern Green Heron, is the only species that occurs in Canada. 



The Green Heron is not as prone to frequent open water as is the Great 

 Blue Heron, nor grassy marshes like the Bittern. Alder thickets in drowned 

 land, the bushy edges of quiet bayous, back waters of slack streams, and 

 beaver meadows are their preferred habitat. They are more solitary than 

 the other Herons at nesting time and though several pairs may occupy 

 a peculiarly favoured locality it is community of interest that draws them 

 together and not sociability. 



Economic Status. The food of the Green Heron consists of crawfish, 

 insects, frogs, and small fish. An accusation has been brought against 

 it that it is harmful to certain fish, but as the bird is small and compara- 

 tively scarce and as its usual still water habitat does not bring it in contact 

 with many valuable species, it cannot be regarded as a serious menace. 



202. Black-crowned Night Heron, qua-bird. squawk, fr.— le heron de 

 NuiT. Nycticorax nycticorax. L, 24. Smaller than Gi'eat Blue and larger than Green 

 Herons, more like Bittern in size. Adult plumage is recognizable at a glance. Body is 

 white, softly shaded with tints of light grey. Back and crown black, one or two long, 

 fine pencil-shaped plumes falling from the latter. Juvenile is an altogether different look- 

 ing bird, greyish-brown stripes against whitish ground. 



Distinctions. Adult is distinctive. Juvenile may, at a hasty glance, resemble the 

 Bittern, but lacks any decided yellow tinge, and the plain simple colour-pattern is very 

 different from the highly involved and finely vermiculated colour scheme of that bird. 



Field Marks. Size, general coloration lacking strong yellow of the Bittern; often 

 aUghts in trees, the Bittern never does so. 



Nesting. Often in communities with Great Bhie Heron, nest usually of sticks in irees, 

 sometimes on ground. 



Distribution. The Black-crowned Night Heron is a bird of irregular and local distri- 

 bution. It is found in eastern Ontario, western Quebec, and Manitoba, in occasional 

 colonies. In Ontario, from Kingston west, it is exceediagly rare. Even in the western 

 peninsula of Ontario it is scarce. 



