96 WATER BIRDS 
201b. ANTHONY GREEN HERON. — Ardea virescens 
anthony?. 
Famity: The Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns. 
Length : 15.00-22.00. 
Adults: Crown, crest, tail, and wings green; sides of neck yellow- 
brown ; belly light grayish brown. 
Geographical Distribution: Southwestern United States; south in 
winter. 
Breeding Range: Breeds locally wherever found, along the rivers of the 
interior. 
Breeding Season: April. 
Nest : On branches of trees and bushes ; a loose platform of sticks; lined 
with leaves. 
Eggs: 3 to 5; light greenish buff or olive. 
THIS is a subspecies of the Green Heron, and is found 
resident only in the southern part of California. Mr. 
Grinnell lists it as a common migrant, and says it breeds 
along the larger streams of the interior valleys. It is 
largely nocturnal in habit, and not unlike the American 
bittern in its guttural alarm note. 
This species is found less often in the marshes, and 
more often along the banks of shallow streams and small 
lakes, where it sits for hours motionless in a dead tree 
or concealed stump, seeming to doze through the day- 
light hours. Early in the morning or late in the evening, 
however, the heronry awakes to great activity; for the 
hungry young clamor harshly for food, and the adults 
hurry to and fro in pursuit of it. This noise continues 
far into the night and begins anew with daylight. Frogs, 
small snakes, fish, and lizards are the prey this Heron 
seeks, but it occasionally contents itself with insects and 
field mice. 
