Green Heron

Butorides virescens
Heron family (Ardeidae)

Habitat:
Shores and water edges with dense vegetation.

Description:
Much smaller than Great Blue Heron, 14” tall, 25” wingspan.  Compact shape, greenish back, reddish-brown neck and chest, short yellow legs.  Looks short-necked because it holds its head close to its body.

Nesting:
Nests in small colonies.  Nest of sticks, placed in tree.  Eggs are pale blue-green.

Voice:
“Skow” call is given when flushed and in flight.

Name Origin:
Butorides:  butio, Latin for “bittern”; eidos, Greek for “resembling”;
virescens, Latin for “growing or becoming green”.

In the Nature Park: 
Year-round resident.  Less common than Great Blue Herons and equally shy, easily flushed from foraging areas along the edge of the Quarry Pond.