FAMILY Ardeidce 



sword-like bill, swallowing it head down- 

 wards. The heron often captures fish so 

 large that it has diflSculty in getting them 

 ashore, and in rare instances has almost lost 

 its life in the struggle with some very large fish. 



Although fish is its principal food it also 

 captures meadow mice, frogs, grasshoppers 

 and even small birds. Its flight is rapid and 

 graceful, and when migrating is sometimes 

 very high, but it usually keeps near the ground 

 or water. The heron is at all times vigilant 

 and hard to approach. When wounded it 

 defends itself with its sharp bill and can in- 

 flict a dangerous wound. In flying it doubles 

 the neck back between the wings allowing the 

 legs to stick out straight behind. A hoarse 

 croak is the only sound it utters except during 

 the nesting season when its squawking and 

 raucous bellowing is beyond description. 



It begins nesting early in April and the 

 young are not fully matured and capable of 

 flying until July. In the treeless parts of its 

 range it nests in bushes about water, and in 

 the absence of these it will build its nest on 

 the ground in a marsh, as in the alkaline lake 

 districts of eastern Washington and Oregon. 

 Along the Pacific Coast and in the valleys 

 the great blue heron nests in colonies in tall 

 trees, usually in firs at a great height. One 

 148 



