THE SUMMER OF GREEN HERONS 

PART 3: WHATCHA DOIN’?

Green Herons have one purpose in life: make lots more Green Herons. To do that, they must stay alive. And to do that, they must eat and not get killed.

Eating is easy at first. Open up, and mom or dad stuffs something in. But within weeks, the little ones must learn to find and catch food independently. The ideal Green Heron buffet features bugs, fish, and small animals.

A Green Heron stalks its prey along the shore, from trees, and on the wing. It pulls its head back and shoots that long neck out like a blow dart at some poor fish lolling about in the shallows. It also scoops dragonflies out of the air.

But surely the most amazing thing about Green Herons is that they use bait to catch their dinner. They actually find some little scrap, a feather, or a small insect and float it out on the water. When a frog or fish comes to check it out, zap! That pointy beak brings home the bacon. There are precious few animals that use bait to obtain food. Surely you remember those junior-high social studies films called Man––The Tool Using Animal!  We thought using tools differentiated us from other beasts. Not only was it sexist, but also a bit cocky. I’ve seen a Green Heron fish, and I’ve seen friends and family fish in the same pond. This pea-brained bird can rightfully sing, “Anything you can do, I can do better.”

One way Herons protect themselves by leaving; flight is a definite advantage in a war with a raccoon. 

They blend nicely into the leaves, so hiding is another defense. 

Having a spear on the front of your face is surely useful in battles with smaller pests. 

And the cry of a heron may give some pause.

Sometimes Green Herons form small rookeries; we’ve had 3-4 nests on the pond at one time. Mom and dad both tend to the young, but you need good eyes to tell one from the other. The pair sticks together through the season and sometimes longer. They may raise several clutches during a summer. If Green Herons can hang together while raising two or three families in a few months, perhaps they can challenge us at more than fishing.

Tomorrow: Part 4: The Art of Being Green

To hear a Green Heron:

http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/view_default.aspsortBy=has+audio&viewType=list&curFamilyID=219