NORTH AMERICAN MARSH BIRDS 101 



The race described by Bangs and Zappey (1905) as Ardea h. repens 

 ( = Ardea o. repens) from Cuba (Isle of Pines) is probably the race 

 that occurs also in Porto Rico (Gundlach) ; Jamaica (Marsh) ; and at 

 the mouth of the Rio Lagartos, Yucatan (Brown). 



Egg dates. — Florida Keys: 29 records, December 30 to June 16; 15 

 records, January 26 to April 4. 



ARDEA HERODIAS HERODIAS Linnaeus 

 GREAT BLUE HERON 



HABITS 



The great blue heron, or ''blue crane" as it is often called, is the 

 largest, the most widely distributed and the best known of the Amer- 

 ican herons. Herons probably originated in the warmer climates, 

 where they are certainly better represented in species and in numbers; 

 but this species extends its range across the continent and well up 

 into the cooler climate of Canada. It is a stately bird, dignified in 

 its bearing, graceful in its movements and an artistic feature in the 

 landscape. 



In its native solitudes, far from the haunts of man, it may be seen 

 standing motionless, in lonely dignity, on some far distant point that 

 breaks the shore line of a wilderness lake, its artistic outline giving 

 the only touch of life to the broad expanse of water and its background 

 of somber forest. Or on some wide, flat coastal marsh its stately 

 figure looms up in the distance, as with graceful, stealthy tread it 

 wades along in search of its prey. Perhaps you have seen it from 

 afar and think you can gain a closer intimacy, but its eyes and ears 

 are keener than yours ; and it is a wise and a wary bird. But even as 

 it takes its departure, you will still stand and admire the slow and 

 dignified strokes of its great, black-tipped wings, until this interesting 

 feature of the landscape fades away into the distance. A bird so 

 grand, so majestic, and so picturesque is surely a fitting subject for 

 the artist's brush. 



Courtship. — Throughout the northern portion of its range the great 

 blue heron is migratory, but it returns to its breeding range early in 

 the season. Its spectacular courtship is well described by Audubon 

 (1840) as follows: 



The manners of this heron are exceedingly interesting at the approach of the 

 breeding season, when the males begain to look for partners. About sunrise you 

 see a number arrive and aUght either on the margin of a broad sand bar or on a 

 savannah. They come from dilferent quarters, one after another, for several 

 hours; and when you see 40 or 50 before you, it is difficult for you to imagine 

 that half the number could have resided in the same district. Yet in the Flori- 

 das I have seen hundreds thus collected in the course of a morning. They are 

 now in their full beauty, and no young birds seem to be among them. The 

 males walk about with an air of great dignity, bidding defiance to their rivals. 



