96 BIRDS 



LEAST BITTERN 



The Least Bittern ranges throughout temperate and 

 tropical North America, wintering south. 



This beautiful bird is of a retiring disposition, though 

 not averse to living in a noisy environment, provided it is 

 unmolested in its home among the tall grasses and rushes 

 of marshes. Several authors speak of the least bittern as 

 a " silent bird," although the writer has frequently seen and 

 heard it utter a peculiar " squeak," especially if suddenly 

 approached. It loves to lurk in the reedy borders of boggy 

 ponds and marshy lakesides where gallinules and rails 

 abound. An interesting habit of this bird is that of perch- 

 ing on an upright reed, where, with its neck extended, it 

 remains motionless, closely resembling in color and form a 

 bunch of dead reeds, in order to escape detection. While 

 pushing my boat among the rushes during a rainstorm I 

 once saw a least bittern roosting in a clump of vegetation, 

 with its head dra^m between its shoulders, oblivious to its 

 surroundings. I gently touched it, when "Rock, rock!" it 

 seemed to call, and in its sudden efforts to escape lost its 

 equilibrium and fell into the water. 



Its nest of grasses, etc., is placed among reeds or in a 

 small bush; three to six bluish-white eggs are laid. 



GREAT BLUE HERON 



The name Great Blue Heron, often called Blue Crane 

 and Sand Hill Crane, is misleading, as the prevailing color 

 of the adult is slaty gray. 



