S6 Bird Life Stories 



they now require is so great that all the exertions of the old 

 birds appear at times to be insufficient to satisfy their voracious 

 appetites. They do not provide for themselves until fully able 

 to fly, when their parents chase them off and force thern to 

 shift as they can. 



This species takes three years in attaining maturity, and 

 even after that period it still increases in size and weight. 

 When just hatched the young birds have a very uncouth 

 appearance, the legs and neck being very long as well as the 

 bill. By the end of a week the head and neck are sparingly 

 covered with long tufts of silky down, of a dark gray color, 

 and the body shows young feathers, the quills large with soft 

 blue sheaths. At the end of four weeks the body and wings 

 are well covered with feathery of a dark slate color, broadly 

 margined with brownish-red; the bill has grown wonderfully, 

 the legs are quite strong and the birds are able to stand erect 

 on the nest or on the objects near it. 



They are now seldom fed oftener than once a day, as if 

 their parents were intent on teaching them that abstinence- 

 without which it would often be difficult for them to subsist in 

 after life. At the age of six or seven weeks they fly off, and 

 at once go in search of food, each by itself. These birds feed 

 on fish, frogs, lizards, snakes, shrews, meadow mice and 

 other animals. 



Geographical Distribution 



The Great Blue Heron occurs throughout North America south of 

 the Arctic regions. It extends through the West Indies and the 

 northern part of South America. It winters from the middle States 

 southward. 



