76 
HERONS, EGRETS, BITTERNS 
bill black, with yellow base. Post-breeding plumage and young: back with¬ 
out plumes. Length : 20.00-27.25, wing 8.20-10.50, bill 2.08-3.65, tarsus 
3.15-4.50. 
Distribution. — Approximately the whole United States, and south to 
Argentina, South America. 
Although widely distributed, the snowy heron is generally a rare 
bird. Throughout most of the western United States only an occa¬ 
sional wanderer is found. 
Subgenus Dichromanassa. 
198. Ardea rufescens Gmel. Reddish Egret. 
Adults. — Feathers of head, sides of neck, and lower part of throat long 
and lanceolate; scapular plumes extending beyond end of tail and with 
fine dissected filaments; color plain slaty, with cinnamon or vinaceous 
rufous head and neck. Young: plain grayish, tinged here and there with 
rusty. Length: 27-32, wing 11.90-13.60,bill 3.30-4.00, tarsus 4.90-5.75. 
Distribution. — Cuba, Jamaica, and Mexico, from Guatemala north to 
Lower California, the Gulf states, and southern Illinois. One record for 
Colorado. 
Subgenus Florida. 
200. Ardea cserulea Linn. Little Blue Heron. 
Adults. — Plumes on crown, back, and breast long and narrow; head and 
neck chestnut or maroon ; rest of plumage dark slaty blue ; plumage 
sometimes partly or mainly white, with bluish tips to quills. Young: 
without elongated plumes ; mainly white with a tinge of blue on quills. 
Length: 20.00-29.50, wing 9.00-10.60, bill 2.70-3.30, tarsus 3.15-4.00. 
Distribution. —Eastern United States from New Jersey and Maine west 
to Nebraska and San Angelo, Texas; south to northern South America. 
The little blue heron breeds in Tropical and Lower Sonoran zones, 
and after the breeding season wanders north, sometimes as far as 
Nebraska. 
Subgenus Butorides. 
201. Ardea virescens Linn. Green Heron. 
Bill longer than tarsus, crown and back with long, lanceolate, but not 
dissected plumes. 
Adults: crown and 
crest, tail, and most 
of wings dark green; 
scapular plumes blu¬ 
ish green; sides of 
neck rich dark chest¬ 
nut ; belly dusky. 
Young: similar to 
adults, but with 
scapular plumes 
shorter and darker 
green ; most of quills tipped with white and under parts coarsely streaked. 
Length: 15.50-22.50, wing 6.30-8.00, bill 2.00-2.55, tarsus 1.75-2.15. 
Distribution. — Oregon and Ontario southward to West Indies and Vene¬ 
zuela. 
