Most North American birders are very familiar with the large heron known as the Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias). Last week’s post featured one of these as well. We’ll start here, however, because these birds have closely related large cousins in most parts of the world, and I have some images of some of those. Click here for larger image.

In most of South America one can find this species, the Cocoi Heron (Ardea cocoi), which is the largest heron species on that continent. Ranging from Panama to Tierra del Fuego, and overlapping in range with wintering Great Blue Herons in northern South America, its solid black cap and white neck make it easy to identify. Click here for larger image.

The most common analogue of the Great Blue Heron in the Old World is the Gray Heron (aka Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea).  Smaller than the Great Blue or Cocoi Heron, it is very similar, plumage-wise, to the former. But it lacks the chestnut epaulets and thighs of that species. Some birds from Europe winter in Africa, but there are also year-round resident populations in Africa, and this is likely to be one of those. The photo was taken in May, when nearly all of the migrant birds should have gone back north. Click here for larger image.

Among the smaller herons, this Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) is one of the most beautiful. And it is unusual among the herons in another respect; the adult and immatures have very different plumages. The hatch-year birds are all white, the second-year birds are a splotchy blue-gray and white (aka Calico Heron), and the adults, like this one, are dark gray with a purplish-red head and neck.  Click on the link above to see those immature plumages. And click here for a larger version of this image.

Another handsome smaller heron is the Tricolored Heron (nee Louisiana Heron, Egretta tricolor). It is found in the southeastern US (occasionally wandering north as far as southern Canada), but is more common in Central America. Sadly, it appears to be declining in its North American range. Click here for larger image.

Another member of the genus Egretta, the Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens), is also in decline in North America. Found along the US and Mexican Gulf Coasts, as well as the Pacific coast of Mexico and northern Central America, it has some extremely active methods of foraging.  Its darting,, hopping, and umbrella-fishing behaviors make it easy to ID at great distances. Click here for larger image.

A much less active forager, the Striated Heron (Butorides striata) is the South American (and Old World plus Australia) counterpart of the Green Heron, which is familiar to many North American birders. Both Striated and Green Herons share a most unheron-like characteristic; they both like to keep their feet dry while they hunt.  If they do forage in water, it is typically very shallow (less than an inch or two deep). Click here for larger image.

This extremely handsome South American heron is the Whistling Heron (Syrigma sibilatrix). The pink bill and blue mascara are complemented by a distinctive metallic whistle. Although it is endemic to South America, there are actually two quite disjunct populations there. One is restricted to northern Colombia and Venezuela, the other is found in the Pantanal area of Brazil and Paraguay, and its range extends down to Uruguay. The populations have distinctive plumages, but  as far as I can tell, there are no current efforts to split them into two species. Click here for larger image.

The American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) has been heard by many North American birders; its eerie ventriloqual calls ring out over marshes, and give rise to interesting colloquial names for the bird, like “thunder-pumper” and “stake driver”.  But as easy as it is to hear, it is a hard bird to see and photograph, since it is crepuscular, relies on patience and stealth when foraging, and freezes among the tall reeds if it sees a human interloper. Click here for larger image.

Our last bird for the day comes from New Zealand; it is also found in Australia and New Guinea. It’s the aptly-named White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae). Found on shorelines, in marshes, and even in seasonally flooded pastures and fields, it is fairly easy to see if you should ever find your way down under. Click here for larger image.