BITTERNS and HERONS
Family ARDEIDAE
Herons and Bitterns are long-legged waders, having straight, pointed bills, and with the head feathered, except for the lores.
190. BITTERN. Bautaurus lentiginosus.
Range. United States and southern British
provinces, breeding in the northern half of the
United States and wintering in the southern portion.
WADING BIRDS
Bittern
Jabiru
Brownish drab
This species, with its mottled rusty brownish plumage, is one of the best
known of the Heron family. It is known locally by a great many names, nearly
all of which have reference to the "booming" or "pumping" sound made during
the mating season. They build their nests in swampy or marshy places, placing them on the ground, frequently on a tussock, entirely surrounded by water. The nest proper is only a few grasses twisted about to form a lining to the hollow. They lay from three to five eggs of brownish drab. Size 1.95 x 1.50.
They do not breed in colonies, generally, but one or two pairs nesting in one
marsh. Data. Worcester, Mass., June 3, 1897. Four eggs laid in a grass lined
hollow in middle of a hummock of earth and grass, in middle of marsh. Collector, James Jackson.
THE BIRD BOOK
191. LEAST BITTERN. Ixobrychus exilis.
Range. Common throughout the United States, especially in the eastern part, and in the southern British provinces.
This small variety of Bittern is very common
in the southern portions of the United States, but
less so and locally distributed in the northern
portions of its range. They are very quiet and
sly birds, and their presence is often unsuspected
when they are really quite abundant. When approached, they will remain perfectly quiet, with the body erect and the head and neck pointed skyward, in which position their yellowish brown plumage strongly resembles the rushes among which they are found. Their nests are made of strips of rushes woven about upright
stalks, generally over water. They lay from
three to five eggs of a pale bluish white color. Size 1.20 x .90. Data. Avery's Island, La., May 1, 1896. Four eggs. Nest of strips of rushes woven together to form a platform and fastened to saw grass growing on the bank of a stream. Collector, E. A. Mcllhenny.
191.1. CORY'S LEAST BITTERN. Ixobrychus
neoxenus.
This rare species, of which about twenty specimens are known is probably resident in Florida, wandering north in the summer, specimens having been taken in Ontario, Canada, and in several localities in eastern United States. It is very different from the Least Bittern, having a more uniform chestnut coloration, especially on the under parts. It is twelve inches in length. Mr. C. W. Crandall has a set of five eggs of this species, taken on the Caloosahatchee River, Fla., April 15, 1891, by S. B. Ladd. nest was made of grasses and rushes placed in the cane two feet above the water.
Pale bluish gray
Least Bittern
Cory's Least Bittern
120
192. GREAT WHITE HERON. Ardea occidentalis.
Range. This species occurs in the- United
States regularly, only in the southern parts of
Florida. It is a resident of the West Indies. This large white Heron is about the same size as the Great Blue Heron; it has none of the slender plumes found on the smaller White Herons. These birds are not uncommon in southern Florida, especially on the Keyes, where they build their nests in company with Great Blue Herons. Their nesting habits and eggs are very similar to those of the Blue Heron. Size of eggs 2.25 x 1.80. Data. Outside of Torch Key, Florida, June 16, 1899. Nest a platform of sticks about five feet from the ground, in a mangrove tree. Three eggs. Collector, O. Tollin.
WADING BIRDS
GREAT BLUE HERON. herodias.
Ardea herodias
Range. Nearly the whole of North America, except the extreme north; resident south of the middle portions of the United States and migratory north of there.