BIRDS OF YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 



83 



EARED GREBE 



12-14 





NC^"-t. 



•f' 



PIED-BILLED GREBE 



..^ .. 12-15 .._:. 



^';^i^i^gK^j5Wfci.U '-"liN, 



DOUBLE-CRESTED 

 CORMORANT ,f,r.. 30-36 



STORK-LIKE BIRDS: 



Order Ciconiiformes 



HERONS AND BITTERNS: 



Family Ardeidae 



GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea 

 herodias): 42-52 in. Above slaty blue; 

 tips of witigs darker; top of head white 

 ^^ black in immatures) ; sides of head 

 black, with several long black feathers 

 during breeding season; long, loose 

 feathers (not on immature) on sides of 

 neck and upper back; below black-and- 

 white-streaked ; long legs and neck. In 

 flight legs extended backward, long 

 neck kinked. Voice a low-pitched, 

 hoarse walk. Commonly nests in colo- 

 nies in tall trees, cliffs, and in both salt 

 and freshwater marshes. 



Frequents sloughs, marshes, mead- 

 ows, lake margins, and tideflats. Wide- 

 spread R. In the Yosemite region occa- 

 sionally seen along the lower Tuolumne 

 River, Merced River in Yosemite Val- 

 ley and below, and at Merced Lake, 

 Glen Aulin. and Tuolumne Meadows. 



GREEN HERON (Butorides vires- 

 cens): 16-18 in. Back and sides of neck 

 and face chestnut; dark wings with 

 bluish cast; top of head black, tinged 

 with green, with feathers long and 

 loose; below brownish-gray; legs green- 

 ish-yellow. Flight somewhat crow-like. 

 Voice a hoarse squawk. A solitary nester. 



GREAT BLUE HERON 



42-52 



