WOOD DUCK 155 



Black-crowned Night Heron ; " Quawk " : Nycticorax 



n \cticorax ncevius. 



Length about 2 feet. 



Crown and upper back glossy greenish-black; lower back, 

 wings and short tail, ashy-gray. 



Under parts white, often tinged with yellowish or lilac. 



Long bill, black. The adults frequently have three long 

 white plumes on the head. 



Not uncommon in summer; occasional in winter. 



The Black-crowned Herons live in colonies, build- 

 ing in the tops of small pines. They are generally 

 found on the road to Falls Church and there is quite 

 a large colony in the neighborhood of Bennings. 

 The nests are built of sticks and the eggs, 4 to 5, are 

 dull blue. 



These Herons keep quiet during the day, only 

 going out after sunset, unless they have young birds 

 to feed. As they fly they call quawk, from which they 

 get their common name. 



Wood Duck: Aix sponsa. 



Length 18 inches. 



Greenish crest; white markings on sides of head; back 

 greenish-brown; neck and upper breast bright chestnut, 

 with fine white spots. Lower parts white, the sides barred 

 with black. 



Female, head brownish; breast and sides grayish-brown 

 streaked with buffy. 



Resident (uncommon) all the year. 



The beautiful Wood Duck is less rare in spring and 

 fall than the rest of the year, and may be found by 

 streams and ponds where they are bordered with 

 woods. 



The nest is in a hole in a tree or stump. The eggs, 

 8 to 14, are buffy white. It is said the downy young 

 are carried from the nest to the ground in the bill 

 of the parent. 



