American Bittern--Botaurus lentiginosus--A Rare Bird

American Bittern courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service.

I have seen an American Bittern once. It was while birding at El Dorado Nature Center in Long Beach, California on 11/24/2008--it's written in my field guide. My best friend Gloria, my husband at the time, and I went to El Dorado Nature Center. My friend Gloria and I wanted to see as many birds as we could and scanned the areas around the paths for birds. My ex wanted to see the most unusual bird there and set out to carefully examine every likely place the American Bittern might be hiding. Since it has markings that look like marsh reeds and grasses, and freezes with its bill pointed upward also looking like a reed, it is perfectly camouflaged. A very hard bird to spot. It is active from dusk to dawn. We went early and were the first ones through, and sure enough, he spotted an American Bittern. My ex was kind enough to point it out as we had pointed out the Black-crowned Night Herons, the Green Heron, a "Common Egret"--now a Great Egret--the Loggerhead Shrike, and all the other birds Gloria and I spotted and identified that day. But the prize went to Ross who carefully examined every marshy area until he found an American Bittern. Thanks to him, we saw it, too. It was in the reeds, striking that beak-in-the-air pose. It was something to see.

American Bittern courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service.

The American Bittern is in the same family as Herons and Egrets. It is sometimes referred to as a heron. It has a long, relatively thick neck for a heron and a long, powerful bill. It has long, brown patterned markings on its thick, long neck that allow it to easily blend in with reeds and grasses in marshes and wetlands. It is such a successful camouflage that most people miss it as we almost did. The camouflage is great for the secretive American Bittern, but sad for those of us who want to see the long-necked bird. The best clue that it is near is the pump-like sound described variously as "glunk-a-chunk," "oonck-a-tsoonck" (Golden Field Guide to North American Birds), "bloonk-adoonk" (Sibley), "pump-er-lunk" (Audubon Guide to North American Birds) "oonk-a-lunk" (National Geographic Guide to North American Birds), "pump-er-wink"(State of Connecticut site), "oong-ka-choonk" (Cornell's All About Birds). It sounds very guttural and almost mechanical--like a pump or the thud of a stake being hit. If you are in a marsh or wetlands and hear that sound, look carefully among the reeds. You may have to move closer because the American Bittern's voice carries some distance. Check out the Nancy Today video below and hear her imitation of the American Bittern. It is pretty funny--and sounds about right.

American Bittern courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service.

American Bitterns are inhabitants mostly of fresh water marshes and wetlands. But it is seen in Bolsa Chica and Upper Newport Bay which both have salt water areas in which the American Bittern can be seen. The American Bittern is a very elusive bird so count yourself a lucky birder if you spot it. It moves slowly and silently.

This is Canadian Nancy Today who is pretty funny. You won't forget how an American Bittern sounds. Nancy is a free-lance writer.

It's a bird that is a loner out in the wetlands or marshes in which it lives. A very solitary bird. No flocking together or nesting together. It likes to be alone in the marsh. Likes to wander through the Wetlands. American Bitterns eat fish, frogs, crayfish, insects--including dragon flies-- small snakes and eels, and small mammals.

Nancy observing American Bitterns--you can really tell that it is hard to spot American Bitterns. Nancy's other videos range from funny to informative.

The courtship of the American Bittern has been described over the years a few authors and even diagrammed by ornithologist Paul A. Johnsgard. The American Bittern is generally monogamous. The male has white "nuptial plumes" that are on its shoulder. It can fan them out when displaying to the female. Quite a display evidently.

American Bittern foraging among the reeds in a marsh from YouTube.



Most maps show that Orange County is an area for wintering American Bitterns. There is a small area north of us along the coast that shows year-round American Bitterns. Even though a bird only winters in an area, there is a chance of non-breeding birds remaining behind. They are listed as rare in winter and fall in Bolsa Chica. (Check out this picture on Flicker of an American Bittern at Bolsa Chica.) It is listed in Huntington Beach in General as rare year-round. It can be found at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary (Here are some pictures at SJWS by Glenn Price), but they do not say which seasons. Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge lists them rare in every season except summer in which they are absent. The Upper Newport Bay census does not show them at all, but sightings have been reported to the OC Rare Bird Alert. San Diego Museum of Natural History shows the American Bittern as a bird that winters and occasionally breeds in San Diego County. The species has also bred in Santa Barbara, and Ventura lists it as rare to very rare.

American Bittern in a pond from YouTube.

An American Bittern can be confused with two immature birds: Black-Crowned Night Heron and the Green Heron. The American Bittern is has a larger, sharper bill than either and more defined, warmer striping. It has a longer and wider neck. It does hunch up as well. The characteristic pose with its bill in the air is like no other. The sound is different as well.

To have the best chance of seeing American Bitterns you would need to go birding in the northern states like Washington, Michigan, Maine, and the like. Or to Canada. To have a chance of seeing the wintering American Bittern in Orange County, do what my ex did: go to the habitat they like, go early or at dusk, and look very closely. I would also say, listen for the pumping call and see if you can find it. Birding in Orange county is a fun outdoor sport when you are looking for rare birds. So if you Orange County birders want to see an American Bittern, get out there in the wetlands and marshes in fall and winter, and look sharp. You just might add it to your life list.

Where can a birder possibly see American Bitterns?

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Upper Newport Bay

Talbert Marsh

El Dorado Nature Center in Long Beach

Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge

OC Birder Girl Links

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Orange County Bird Checklists

San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary

Black-crowned Night Heron--Nycticorax nycticorax

Cattle Egret--Bubulcus ibis--A Rare Bird

Great Blue Heron--Ardea herodias

Great Egret--Ardea alba

Green Heron--Butorides virescens

The Herons and Egrets of Orange County

Reddish Egret--A Rare Bird

Snowy Egret--Egretta thula

Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve aka Newport Back Bay

External Links and Resources



The American Bittern as a Stake-driver

This is an article (Auk: Vol. 57, No. 4, October-December, 1940) discussing the varying sound of the American Bittern and if it is distance that makes it sound different to the listener. You must page down a little to see it.

American Bittern Habitat Model

Short summary of habitat needs of the American Bittern.



Animal Diversity Web: American Bittern

Detailed information on this secretive bird.




Audubon Society: #15 Common Bird in Decline American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus)

About the American Bittern's decreasing numbers.




Bird Cinema: American Bittern

Videos on Bird Cinema that show the American Bittern.




Birds of North America: American Bittern

Courtesy preview of a much longer section covering the American Bittern. Some good information.






BirdWeb: American Bittern

Good article from the Seattle Audubon Society.






California Wildlife Habitat Relationships System

A fact sheet.






The Courtship Display of the American Bittern

Field Observation of the courtship of two American Bitterns observed by the author William G. Fargo and written up in Auk: Vol. 45, No. 2, April-June, 1928.






On the Courtship of the American Bittern

A short description of a field observation of the courtship of the American Bittern from Condor: Vol. 31, No. 2, March-April, 1929.





Copulatory Behavior of the American Bittern

Another description of the courtship of the American Bittern with field drawings. (Auk: Vol. 97, No. 4, October-December, 1980)





Effects of Management Practices on Grassland Birds:
American Bittern

Paper on the effects of human management of grasslands and wetlands and how it affects the American Bittern. Areas include California.




Internet Bird Collection: American Bittern

Great video of an American Bittern by videographer and birder Don Des Jardin




National Audubon Society: American Bittern

Good information in this Audubon article on the American Bittern.






NatureWorks: American Bittern - Botaurus lentiginosus

Nice article.





Saltgrass Flats: American Bittern

Nice photos from this Texas site.





USGS: American Bittern

Short, but good article.



Visual Resources for Ornithology: American Bittern

Pictures of the American Bittern





















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OC Birder Girl Videos

The Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns of Orange County

Great Blue Heron--Ardea herodias at Central Park in Huntington Beach

Great Blue Heron Length 46" Wing Span 72"

Great Egret--Ardea alba at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. Notice the large orange bill and black legs. Great Egret Length 39" Wing Span 51"

Snowy Egret--Egretta thula at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. Notice the black bill and yellow feet. Snowy Egret Length 24" Wing Span 41"

Black-crowned Night Heron--Nycticorax nycticorax --Adult--at
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve Black-Crowned Night Heron Length 25" Wing Span 44"




Black-crowned Night Heron--Nycticorax nycticorax--Immature--at Central Park in Huntington Beach Black-Crowned Night Heron Length 25" Wing Span 44"

Black-crowned Night Heron--Nycticorax nycticorax--Juvenile--at El Dorado Nature Center --Black-Crowned Night Heron Length 25" Wing Span 44"

Green Heron--Butorides virescens --Adult--at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary

Green Egret Length 18" Wing Span 26"



Green Heron--Butorides virescens Immature at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Green Egret Length 18" Wing Span 26"

Rare Orange County Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns

Reddish Egret--A Rare Bird at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. Length 30" and Wingspan 46"

Cattle Egret photo Courtesty of US Fish and Wildlife Serve. Notice the orange bill and black legs. Buffy hightlights in breeding plumage. Cattle Egret Length 20" Wing Span 36"  Photographer Lee Karney.

American Bittern--Botaurus lentiginosus--A Rare Bird photo courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service.  Gary Zahm Photographer. 

28" Long, Wingspan 42"

OC Birder Girl Links

About Binoculars
Birding Hot Spots in Orange County, California
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
Carr Park in Huntington Beach
Central Park in Huntington Beach
Mason Regional Park
Migration--The Pacific Flyway and Orange County
San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary
Shipley Nature Center
Tewinkle Park -- Costa Mesa
Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve aka Newport Back Bay













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OC Birder Girl Videos

Green Heron--Butorides virescens

Green Heron at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary

Green Herons are secretive birds. Birdwatchers can often miss them because Green Herons like to keep under cover in the reeds or in the trees. On occasion, they strike a bittern-like pose with their bill in the air attempting to blend in with the reeds or other foilage. They are less likely to be found in the open than other herons or egrets. However, they can be found in wetlands, ponds, lakes, and rocky bays, and rocky beaches. You often first know they are around when they fly away. (I used to see them on the rocks in the dock area by the Catalina Express in Long Beach. I usually didn't get a good look because they would fly off the rocks and across to the other side when they saw me.) In flight, they often have their neck extended, but often as they fish or sit, it is pulled close to the body. With the neck pulled in they look chunky and round like the Black-crowed Night Heron. They are active in the daytime, but do call at night. See the video below of a Green Heron fishing at night.

Green Heron at El Dorado Nature Center in Long Beach

The Green Heron likes to fish from either perches, the shore, or wades right into the water. It eats small fish, invertebrates, insects (including Dragon Flies), and small amphibians including frogs. They also eat small rodents.

Green Heron at Huntington Central Park--photo taken through a break in the foilage.

The Green Heron looks like its back feathers have a green tint in the right light. Hence, its former name, Green-backed Heron. Our Green Herons do not migrate for the most part, but are resident in Orange County. Because they are so secretive, you may have difficulty seeing them often especially when birding with large groups or later in the day. I have had the most luck earlier in the day or a few hours before sunset. Approach ponds and lakes quietly and look closely in the reeds and trees.

At San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary

I often see Green Herons near reeds, near a pond, or rocks by water. I was surprised this little heron above was so tolerant. Although it did eventually fly, it stayed for quite a while in plain sight. Green Herons like their privacy, and even nest apart from other Herons--including other Green Herons. For a bird that seems shy, the male's courtship display is rather loud and very active. They are monogamous for a season. The immature is heavily streaked and looks similar to an immature Black-crowned Night Heron, but more rufous and has a blackish crest.

Green Heron picking its way through the reeds. Notice how its tail flicks almost constantly.

The Green Heron's tail flicks almost constantly at times. The crest is raised and lowered when agitated.

Green Heron catching a fish at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve--uncharacteristically out in the open.

The Green Heron is quite a fisher. It will put things on the water like feathers, twigs, or bread to attract prey. Then it just waits for a nibble. Check out this video on the Internet Bird Collection of a Green Heron using bread as bait.

Green Heron with raised crest at Huntington Central Park

When Green Herons are unpleasantly surprised and agitated, they will raise their crests like this one above.

Wading closer to the fish at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Orange County

So when you are birding in Orange County and approaching a pond or rocky shore, approach quietly and watch for this secretive little heron. You might just see one.

OC Birder Girl Links

Black-crowned Night Heron--Nycticorax nycticorax

Great Blue Heron--Ardea herodias

Great Egret--Ardea alba

Reddish Egret--A Rare Bird

Snowy Egret--Egretta thula

Green Heron at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary

At Huntington Central Park

Watch a Green Heron fish at night. From You Tube. Roger from Miami caught this on video.

External Links and Resources

All About Birds: Green Heron

Detailed page about the Green Heron including diet, range, description, habitat, and more.

Animal Diversity Web: Green Heron

Very detailed page about the Green Heron.

Baiting of Fish by a Green Heron

Article from 1958 on observing a Green Heron actively using bread to attract fish he then caught and ate. Page down past the sun-bathing article to find this one.

BirdWeb: Green Heron

Good, detailed article from Seattle Audubon.

Green-backed Heron baits fish with insects

Article form 1986 in which the author watches a Green-backed Heron (former name of Green Heron) use a live mayfly to attract fish. After clicking on the link, page down to find the right article.

Nature Works: Green Heron

Good Article from New Hampshire Public Television.

Use of Bait and Lures by Green-Backed Herons in Amazonian Peru

Interesting article. Page down the PDF file to find the article.

USGS: Green Heron

Short Article.

Concentration. Courtesy US Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo by Gary Kramer.

Do you have a question about birding, feeding wild birds, or birds in Orange County? Go to Ask the OC Birder Girl and ask your question.

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Great Egret--Ardea alba

Great Egret wading through the water at Bolsa Chica.

I have always liked to watch Great Egrets hunt for fish. They are patient predators. They remind me of a cat or snake as they stay almost motionless and then suddenly strike. The Great Blue Heron is the largest heron or egret in Orange County. The Great Egret comes in a close second. Great Egrets live an average of about 15 years.

Great Egret hunting in the pickleweed at Bolsa Chica.

Although we think of the Great Egret as a water bird, it also hunts on land in marshes and fields near water. Great Egrets eat fish, frogs, crayfish, aquatic and other insects, mice, gophers, and snakes. The Animal Diversity website calls them "opportunistic predators." They will eat what they can.

Great Egret at Lake Balboa in the San Fernando Valley. Unlike the smaller Snowy Egret, the Great Egret has an orange bill.

Great Egrets are at home in marshes, community parks, regional parks, and anywhere they can find food to eat. Though not that comfortable around people, they will endure them being around if the food source is attractive enough. I have often seen Great Egrets standing on the shore of lakes almost shoulder to shoulder with fishermen. Great Egrets are not above trying to take fish from other birds. No other birds get too aggressive with a Great Egret. In fact the adult Great Egret doesn't have much to fear from nonhuman species. There are many laws that protect the Great Egret and other birds.


Among the reeds at Huntington Central Park.

There was a time when Great Egrets were hunted to near extinction just for ladies' hats and clothing. However, today we are more aware and have laws that protect birds like the Great Egret. Consequently Great Egrets have rebounded. They are graceful and beautiful birds, and we are blessed to have so many in Orange County. Great Egrets are large, white birds with an orange bill and black legs.

Flying away at Bolsa Chica.

Although Great Egrets will eat insects, reptiles, and rodents, these beautiful birds are not usually found far from water. I often see them in Bolsa Chica, Newport Back Bay, Huntington Central Park, and other regional or community parks with stocked lakes and streams. On private property, if you have stocked lakes, ponds, or streams, you will have Great Egrets from time to time.

Great Egret--Reflections

There are many beautiful scenes one can photograph with Great Egrets. They are so still that it is easy to photograph them.

Great Egret, left and the much smaller Snowy Egret on the right. Not mommy and baby, but two different species.

Great Egrets hang out with other Great Egrets, or with Great Blue Herons or Snowy Egrets. On rare occasions I see a Green Heron or a Black-crowned Night Heron nearby, but usually it is the Snowy and the Great Blue Egret. When you are out birding the OC, look for the graceful white bird that strikes its prey faster than you can blink. Then stick around and just watch one of the most beautiful and graceful birds in Orange County, California.

Great Egret Fishing at Bolsa Chica in high breeding plumage.

Average sizes of Herons and Egrets in Orange County--does not include leg length which can make a difference:

Great Blue Heron Length 46" Wing Span 72"

Great Egret Length 39" Wing Span 51"

Snowy Egret Length 24" Wing Span 41"

Cattle Egret Length 20" Wing Span 36"

Green Egret Length 18" Wing Span 26"

Black-Crowned Night Heron Length 25" Wing Span 44"

Great Egret Flying at Bolsa Chica

OC Birder Girl Links of Interest

Herons and Egrets

Black-crowned Night Heron--Nycticorax nycticorax

Great Blue Heron--Ardea herodias

Reddish Egret--A Rare Bird

Snowy Egret--Egretta thula

The Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns of Orange County

Great Egret strutting at Bolsa Chica.

Places to See Egrets

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve

Central Park in Huntington Beach

San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary

Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve aka Newport Back Bay

Great Egret fishing in high breeding Plumage. Notice the black on the upper part of his beak, and the green lores. This is at Bolsa Chica.

External Links



All About Birds: Great Egret Ardea alba

Good Article about the Great Egret. Maps, facts, photographs, and more.




USGS: Great Egret

Good short article.




Animal Diversity Web: Great Egret

Usual excellent article with lots of details about the Great Egret including maps, facts, diet, habits, habitat, conservation, and more.

National Geographic: Great Egret

Good Article, maps, facts, video, sound. Lots of information. Wall paper available.

Nature Works: Great Egret

Pictures, facts, and more.

Great Egret Takes a Stroll Down the Path from OC Birder Girl on Vimeo.

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Snowy Egret--Egretta thula

Snowy Egret on the edge of a stream at Craig Park in Fullerton.


The Snowy Egret is one of our most common egrets. Common it may be, but it is a pretty bird with lacy plumes and a crest that it raises when it thinks its territory is being invaded. You can find Snowies any place you find fish. It likes estuaries, tidal marshes, wetlands, streams and rivers, ponds, lakes, and any body of water with fish. I have seen them at Bolsa Chica, Huntington Central Park, San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, Carr Park, Craig Park, Upper Newport Bay, and many more places.




Here is a Snowy Egret fishing. Notice the little rings around him. He was shuffling his feet to flush out the prey. This action created concentric circles, ever widening rings around him as he fished.

One of the liveliest egrets is the Snowy Egret. Smaller than the Great Blue Heron, and the Great Egret , it makes up for its small stature with an aggressive feisty manner. Its active feeding style is rivaled only by the Reddish Egret's frenetic dash across the shallows.

Snowies often hang out together or with other Egrets and Herons.

The Snowy feeds alone or with other Snowy Egrets or other Egrets or Herons. It feeds during the daylight and moves its feet to flush out the prey. It also does a bit of running about to flush prey out of its hiding places. On rare occasions, it hovers and dives.

Despite being gregarious, Snowies are very aggressive. This Snowy Egret on the left is displaying his crest and warning the others to back off. Tussles happen often, and it is not unusual for one Snowy to run another off.

Birders often call this little, white egret a Snowy, or plural Snowies. Snowies were hunted for their plumes which are showy and pretty and were at one time endangered. They have bounced back now and are doing well.

Flying in.

Snowies are fun to watch because they are often so lively. They have yellow feet and juveniles have a yellow line down the back of their legs. In summer and fall, some immatures have lighter bills and legs. They also have a black bill.

Fishing in deeper water.

Snowies eat fish and invertebrates found in the water. They are found in mixed salt and fresh water and fresh-water environments.


A Trio: Snowy Egret (left), Great Egret (center), and Great Blue Heron (right). From Shortest to tallest.

Above are three very common Egrets and Herons. The Snowy and the Great Egret are both white, but the Snowy is much smaller, has a black bill, and yellow feet. It is also a much livelier hunter. The Great Egret moves slowly and strikes fast. The Snowy is often agitated and all over the place. The Great Blue Heron is very different looking--not white and slow moving like the Great Egret. Great Blue Heron is very large, blue-gray, and has black markings on its face. The Snowy is often mistaken as the Great Egret's baby when they are together, but they are both adult birds.

Great Egret and Much Smaller Snowy Egret Below left.

And note the very different Great Blue Heron above, right.

One of the few other small white egrets or herons that are seen in this area that a Snowy might be confused with is the Cattle Egret. The Cattle Egret is smaller and stouter. It has shorter legs, black feet, and an orange bill --unlike Snowy. Compare below. Also, the Cattle Egret eats insects stirred up by mammals in grassy areas. They are not likely to be in the same type of environment, but on occasion, it could happen. The Snowy is long-legged and slender and is taller than other small egrets and herons in this area.


Cattle Egret Below, Courtesy US Fish and Wildlife Service

The svelte Snowy Egret on Bolsa Chica Bridge with his yellow feet showing, above. Note how much longer the Snowy's legs are.

Thinking over his next move, a Snowy stands on the shore at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.



Average sizes of Herons and Egrets in Orange County--does not include leg length which can make a difference:

Great Blue Heron Length 46" Wing Span 72"
Great Egret Length 39" Wing Span 51"
Snowy Egret Length 24" Wing Span 41"
Cattle Egret Length 20" Wing Span 36"
Green Heron Length 18" Wing Span 26"
Black-crowned Night Heron Length 25" Wing Span 44"



There are many types of egrets and herons in Orange County. Next time you go out birding near a lake, pond, stream be on the look out for the feisty little Snowy Egret.

Shake a Leg from OC Birder Girl on Vimeo.

Snowy Links

If You Build It, They Will Come

Bold plan by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in the Chesapeake Bay to attract Snowy Egrets back to Poplar Island. Find out what they did, and if it worked.

US Geological Service: Snowy Egret

Short profile of the Snowy Egret.


Birder's World Photographer Karen Lund: Snowy Egret

Great shot a Snowy by Karen Lund.



Cornell's All About Birds


Usual detailed article.



Animal Diversity Web: Snowy Egret

Detailed article.



















Photographs


Smithsonian Institution: Nature's Best 2007--Snowy Egret Photo

Good photo of two Snowies.

Vireo Photographs: Snowy Egret

Video

Internet Bird Collection

Snowy Egret videos. Good videos showing Typical Snowy Egret Behavior.

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Great Blue Heron--Ardea herodias

Up Close and Personal --Lake Balboa in the San Fernando Valley

Great Blue Herons can be found in fresh and salt water environments. Marshes, estuaries, bays, streams, lakes, and small park lakes. There are many Great Blue Herons at man-made recreational Lake Balboa in the San Fernando Valley because it is stocked with fish. It is a birder's dream come true. There are people walking everywhere, fisherman, paddle boats, kayaks and lots of herons, egrets, American White Pelicans, and Double-crested Cormorants. Great Blue Herons can also seen on both sides of Central Park by and in various bodies of water there. Other places to see Great Blue Herons in Orange County are San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary and also at the San Joaquin Marsh, Newport Back Bay, Bolsa Chica, and anywhere where we have both water and fish. Great Blue Herons eat mainly fish, but as big as they are, they are capable of eating other things as well, including small mammals. They are often seen feeding with other herons and egrets.






Checking out the buffet at Lake Balboa in the San Fernando Valley



Great Blue Herons are impressive. At up to 4.5 feet tall, they are the largest heron in the United States. The closest heron or egret in size is the white Great Egret. They are year-round residents in most parts of the country. Their beaks are large and sharp. Birds like these don't have a lot of enemies.





Up a tree, preening at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary


I was walking one day near the Golden Shore Marine Preserve in Long Beach. I was by the berm of the University Chancellor's parking lot. Suddenly as I walked along the grass, I came face to face with a Great Blue Heron. I am short, so I was not much taller than the heron. We looked each other over. It was a beautiful bird! I was awed by its beauty. Then noticing the relative equality of our sizes and the sharpness of that long bill, I quietly and quickly walked on. That experience impressed on me just how large the Great Blue Heron really is. Let me just say, it is one pretty big animal!








Bolsa Chica --Notice the s-curved neck.


However, birds have to be able to fly. Birds have hollow, light-weight bones. And even though the the Great Blue Heron is a tall bird, it weighs about 6-7 pounds! I am only 5 inches taller and let me confess here and now that I weigh considerably more than 6 or even 7 pounds! Obviously, I am not flying anywhere under my own power any time soon. However, the Great Blue Heron stretches out its wings to a 6-foot wingspan and takes flight whenever it chooses. It is an impressive sight. It often cries out a low, croaking call as it flies. For a pretty bird, it has a not-so-pretty voice. If you are around the Great Blue Heron much, you recognize its grating call and scan the area for the beautiful bird that makes it.

Keeping a low profile at Bolsa Chica

Since Great Blue Herons are so large, they are easy to spot and fun to watch. They make birding easy. Great Blue Herons are here all year, but we get a few extra migrants in Orange County in Fall and Winter. Take a walk by the water in a place near you, and see if you can spot one this week.

Great Blue Heron going for a morning walk at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine

OC Birder Girl Links

Black-crowned Night Heron--Nycticorax nycticorax

Cattle Egret--Bubulcus ibis--A Rare Bird

Great Egret--Ardea alba

Green Heron--Butorides virescens

Snowy Egret--Egretta thula

Reddish Egret--A Rare Bird

External Links and Resources

US Geological Survey: Great Blue Heron Page

A short but helpful page.

All About Birds: Great Blue Heron Page

Usual detailed page.

Animal Diversity Web: Great Blue Heron Page

Lots of details.

BirdWeb: Great Blue Heron

Washington State site about birds.

The Morro Bay Estuary

Morro Bay is up the California Coast in the "Central Coast." The whole town of Morro Bay is a bird sanctuary. The bay is home to many professional fishing boats. Nice place to visit. The Morro Bay Estuary includes the Heron Rookery. Lots of Great Blue Herons there.

The Heron Festival at Kelsey, California

Celebration of the return of the Great Blue Heron to Kelsey, CA.

The Heron Cam

King County Washington Heron Cam and lots of Great Blue Heron information

Bay-Delta Great Blue Heron

Short page on the Great Blue Heron from the State of California.

Great Blue Heron from the Field Guide to Kern County Birds

From relatively nearby Kern County.





Great Blue Heron in flight at Lake Balboa in the San Fernando Valley

Some Places to See Great Blue Herons

Bolsa Chica Conservency

San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary

Newport Back Bay

Great Blue Heron Videos

National Geographic Great Blue Heron Video

Short, instructional video about Great Blue Herons. Some very good footage.

Internet Bird Collection Videos

Select search by common species name and enter Great Blue Heron. Good collection of videos.

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