Heron
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| The herons are wading birds,
sometimes called egrets or bitterns.
However, egrets are not a
biologically distinct group from the
herons, and tend to be named
differently because they are mainly
white and/or have decorative plumes,
and while having the same build as
the larger herons, they tend to be
smaller. Although herons resemble
birds in some other families, such
as the storks, ibises and
spoonbills, they differ from these
in flying with their necks
retracted, not outstretched. Herons
and Egrets are long-legged,
long-necked and generally
long-billed birds. They are largish
birds ranging in size from 40 cm (15
in) long to 140+ cm (55+ in) long.
They are all carnivorous, most
feeding in or near water taking
fish, frogs, lizards and insects.
They use a variety of hunting
techniques ranging from standing
still at the edge of, or in some
water waiting to spear a fish,
through acts like stirring the water
or grass with a foot or flicking the
wings, to disturbing or startling
prey, to walking rapidly through the
environment. Prey flushing actions
such as 'Foot Stirring' and
'Wing-flicking' can be used in
conjunction with a slow walk or a
walk-stop-walk-stop hunting method
as well as when standing still. The
members of this family are mostly
associated with wetlands, and prey
on fish, frogs and other aquatic
species. Some, like the Cattle Egret
and Black-headed Heron, also take
large insects, and are less tied to
watery environments. Some members of
this group nest colonially in trees,
others, notably the bitterns, use
reedbeds. All Herons have two or
more patches of 'powder-down
feathers' on their breasts. These
feathers break up into a fine power
when crushed. The bird can use its
bill to apply this down to areas of
blood, mud or slime on its ordinary
plumage. The powder down will absorb
the mess and can then be scraped off
using the serrated claw on the
middle toe, so cleaning the plumage.
Some species of Heron nest and roost
together in a certain tree or group
of trees. Nests are usually built in
trees and most species nest
colonially, often in mixed colonies
with other wetland birds such as
Storks, Ibises and Spoonbills as
well as other species of Heron. |
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