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Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns: Family Ardeidae 



Treganza's Heron: 



Ardea herodias tregan^ai Court 



DESCRIPTION. Much like the California Heron, but upper parts and neck paler in 

 color. Si%e: Wing 17.50, tarsus 5.30, bill 5.90. Nest: In trees, bushes, or on the 

 ground; the first two types made of sticks, the latter, sometimes of tules. Eggs: 3 

 to 6, dull greenish blue (Plate 16, A). 



DISTRIBUTION. Genera!: Breeds from southern Wyoming, southern Idaho, and east- 

 ern Washington south to southern California, southern New Mexico, and western 

 Texas. Winters south into Mexico. In Oregon: Permanent resident of eastern Ore- 

 gon. Breeds in suitable areas throughout territory. Winters in small numbers along 

 streams that remain unfrozen, such as the Columbia, Snake, Deschutes, John Day, 

 Malheur, and Klamath Rivers. 



TREGANZA'S HERON, which differs from the western Oregon form only in 

 being somewhat paler in color, is as common and widely distributed in 

 eastern Oregon as the California Heron is in the western part of the State. 

 It is found at times in every county east of the Cascades and has been 

 reported by every ornithologist since Bendire (1877) found it breeding at 

 Malheur Lake, in April. There are thriving colonies at Malheur Lake, in 

 the Warner Basin, and on Upper Klamath Lake, and numerous smaller 

 ones along the streams of the State. After the young are able to fly, these 

 herons wander widely, often being found most unexpectedly at the 

 smallest water holes in the arid country. We have found it wintering 

 regularly in Deschutes, Malheur, Klamath, Wasco, and Umatilla Coun- 

 ties along streams that do not freeze during the winter and have casual 

 winter records for Crook (February 10), Grant (December 12. and Feb- 

 ruary 1 6), Union (January 12.), Baker (December 12.), Wallowa (December 

 2.8), and Morrow (December 3) Counties. In fact, it may be expected to 

 appear in winter wherever there is open water. 



In wooded country this subspecies builds bulky nests of sticks in the 

 treetops, but in the great open marsh country it must resort to different 

 locations. Nests in Harney Valley and the Warner Lakes districts are 

 placed on low bushes, on the rocks, or even on the ground, where there 

 is no other recourse. They are often handsomely built of sagebrush 

 (Plate 1 6, A), and where the birds are undisturbed the nests are appar- 

 ently used for many years, a slight addition being made to the mass each 

 season. Egg dates are from April n to May 2.8. 



