XX 



Louisiana Heeon ; Lady of the Waters ; Louisiana Egeet 

 199. Hydranassa tri-color ruficollis 



The Louisiana Heron is slaty-black on its back and 

 wings, with a whitish streak down the throat. It has a 

 reddish crest and back of neck, white crest feathers, and 

 some white on the rump. Long whitish feathers extend 

 from the back over the tail. The bill in general is black ; 

 the feet are bluish-iris red. 



This Heron is about twenty-six inches long and is 

 found along our southern shore with other Herons, but 

 is rarely seen far from the seashore. It has no plumes, 

 except in the breeding period. The young do not have 

 the juvenile white stage as the Little Blue Herons do. 

 (Fig. 34.) 



The nest and eggs of the Louisiana Heron are similar 

 to those of the Snowy Heron. I have seen the homes of 

 these two birds within three feet of one another, and the 

 only way in which I could distinguish them apart was to 

 see the rightful owner on its nest, or leaving or coming to 

 it. The general habits of the two are so similar that no 

 additional description is necessary. 



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