The Great Blue Herons 



Range of Ardea herodias. — North America and northern South America, breeding 

 north to southeastern Alaska, Saskatchewan, and Hudson Bay, south to Florida, 

 northern Texas, and Lower California; wintering south over Mexico and the West 

 Indies to Venezuela and Colombia. 



Range of A. h. hyperonca. — Resident from Transition zone to sea-level on the 

 Pacific Coast slope from western Oregon south to San Diego, California. 



Distribution in California. — Common resident throughout the State west of 

 the desert divide and east of the Sierras, at least north of Plumas County. Found 

 upon the Santa Barbara Islands and even (accidental?) upon the Farallons. 



Authorities. — Gambel (Ardea herodias), Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., ser. 2, 

 i., 1849, p. 222 (Calif.); Miller, Condor, vol. xii., 1910, p. 13 (fossil); Oberholser, Proc. 

 U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 43, 1912, p. 550 (syst. ; Ardea herodias hyperonca, new subspecies; 

 type locality, Baird, Calif.); Cooke, U. S. Dept. Agric, Biol. Surv. Bull., no. 45, 1913, 

 p. 37, map (distr.); Tyler, Pac. Coast Avifauna, no. 9, 1913, p. 21 (San Joaquin Valley, 

 breeding habits, etc.); Wetmore, Condor, vol. xviii., 1916, p. 112 (speed of flight); 

 Howell, Pac. Coast Avifauna, no. 12, 1917, p. 43 (s. Calif, ids.; crit., meas., etc.). 



No. 382b Pallid Great Blue Heron 



A. O. U. No. 194, part. Ardea herodias treganzai Court. 



Synonyms. — Western Great Blue Heron. Desert Great Blue Heron. 

 Great Basin Heron. Treganza Heron. 



Description. — Adult: Similar to Ardea herodias hyperonca, but.upperparts and 

 neck paler; in size decidedly less. Male: wing 471.7 (18.57); tail 179.9 (7-08) ; bill 

 144.3 (5-68); depth at base 28 (1. 10) ; tarsus 170.5 (6.71). Female: wing 455.5 (17.93); 

 tail 174.2 (6.86); bill 137.2 (5.40); depth at base 26.1 (1.03); tarsus 170.5 (6.71). 



Nesting. — Much as in preceding form. 



Range of .4. /;. treganzai. — Western United States from the eastern base of the 

 Cascade-Sierra Mountain system east to the eastern bases of the Rocky Mountains, 

 and central western Texas south to southwestern Mexico. Winters from Texas and 

 Arizona south to Colima. 



Distribution in California. — Common resident in suitable localities east of 

 the desert divide; notably in the Salton Sink and the valley of the Colorado River, 

 north, probably to Mono Lake, and possibly in the extreme east to Surprise Valley. 



Authorities. — Coues {Ardea herodias), Ibis, 1866, p. 263 (Colorado River); 

 Oberholser, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 43, 1912, p. 545 (syst.; monogr.) ; Grinnell, 

 Condor, vol. x., 1908, p. 190, fig. (Salton Sea, breeding); ibid., Univ. Calif. Pub. Zool., 

 vol. xii., 1914, p. 116 (Colo. Valley; nesting habits; syst.; meas.; etc.); Wetmore, Condor, 

 vol. xxii., 1920, p. 168, figs, (function of powder downs). 



AS A PICTURESQUE feature of the landscape or, oftener, the water- 

 scape, the Heron has no rival. Whether standing motionless upon the 

 flats, with bills elevated, or depressed, according as men or fish are the 

 objects of current moment, or whether flapping slowly across the scene, 

 they lend just that touch of sedate life which the artistic eye requires. 

 The Japanese have nowhere shown clearer credentials of authority in 



1889 



