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Description:
15-22" Adults have a chestnut head and sides. Crown is greenish/black sometimes
forming shaggy crest, a white streak down throat and underparts. Bill dark above, yellow
below. Short dull yellow legs except male high breeding legs bright orange. Blue-gray back
and wings.
Voice: Loud skouwp when flushed from hiding. Also makes a guk, guk, guk
call. In flight the call is a softer skouwp or a keeyou.
Habitat: As with all herons and egrets the Green Heron utilizes marsh, river, and small
lake habitat. This bird is much more secretive than many of its relatives and it is well
camouflaged among riverine vegetation.
Diet:
Fish, insects, aquatic, and terrestrial invertebrates.
Nesting: A flat nest made of interwoven sticks normally found
near or over water. Two to four pale greenish-blue eggs laid in a usually unlined nest.
Normally solitary, though both monogamous parents brood the young.
Range: The solitary Green Heron is found in heavy vegetation lined waterways and
marshes in all regions of Kern County. Most commonly found in region SJV.
Status: An uncommon resident that nests in all regions. Kern Audubon considers this
species to be threatened in our area due to destruction of habitat.
Formerly known as:
Green-backed Heron
Butorides striatus |
