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Genus Florida. Little Blue Heron. 



200. Little Blue Heron. FR. LE PETIT HERON BLEU. Florida ccerulea. L, 22 

 A beautiful and gracefully built small Heron. Adult has head and neck maroon-chestnut, 

 remainder of body dark bluish slate colour. Fine, pointed plumes over shoulders and on 

 front of lower neck. Juvenile is almost pure white more or less washed with slate colour. 



Distinctions. Adult is distinguished by colour as described above. The white, young 

 bird closely resembles the juvenile Louisiana Heron but can be differentiated by its greenish- 

 yellow legs and the blue-slaty tips to the primaries. 



Nesting. In communities, in nests of sticks in bushes or trees over water. 



Distribution. Tropical America. Breeds in the southern and Gulf states. Of only 

 accidental occurrence in Canada. 



Birds of adult plumage seldom occur in Canada. The juveniles are the 

 only ones that are to be expected to wander into our confines. 



Economic Status. Too rare in Canada to have any economic import- 

 ance. 



Genus Butorides. Green Herons. 



201. Green Heron. FLY-UP-THE-CREEK. FR. LE HERON VERT. Butorides vires- 

 cens. L, 17. Smallest of our common Herons. Back lustrous grey-green with short 

 plume-like feathers draping over the wings. Face, sides of neck, and throat, as well as 

 the underparts, rich chestnut. Head has a black cap lengthened into a small crest. 



Distinctions. The above description may seem to resemble the last species, but the 

 evident green sheen of back, absence of neck plumes, smaller size, and heavier build, 

 prevent serious confusion. This is, moreover, a common species within its range and the 

 one most likely to be met with in the Great Lakes region. Any comparable species is very 

 rare. 



Field Marks. Size and general coloration. 



Nesting. Solitary and not in communities, in flimsy and open nest of sticks in bushes 

 or trees usually over water. 



Distribution. Moderately common in southern Ontario, but rare eastward. Breeds 

 wherever found in Canada. 



SUBSPECIES. The Green Heron is subspecifically divided, but the type form 

 Northern Green Heron, is the only species that occurs in Canada. 



The Green Heron is not as prone to frequent open water as is the 

 Great Blue Heron, nor grassy marshes like the Bittern. Alder thickets in 

 drowned land, the bushy edges of quiet bayous, backwaters of slack streams, 

 and beaver meadows are their preferred habitat. They are more solitary 

 than the other Herons at nesting time and though several pairs may 

 occupy a peculiarly favoured locality it is community of interest that 

 draws them together and not sociability. 



Economic Status. The food of the Green Heron consists of crawfish 

 insects, frogs, and small fish. An accusation has been brought against 

 it that it is harmful to certain fish, but as the bird is small and compara- 

 tively scarce and as its usual still-water habitat does not bring it in contact 

 with many valuable species, it cannot be regarded as a serious menace. 



Genera Nycticorax and Nyctanassa. Night Herons. 



202. Black-crowned Night Heron. QUA-BIRD. SQUAWK. FR. LE HERON DE 

 NUIT. LE QUAC. Nycticorax nycticorax. L, 24. Smaller than Great Blue and larger 

 than Green Herons, more like Bittern in size. Adult plumage is recognizable at a glance. 

 Body is white, softly shaded with tints of light grey. Back and crown black, one or two 

 long, fine, pencil-shaped plumes falling from the latter. Juvenile is an altogether different- 

 looking bird, greyish brown stripes against whitish ground. 



