L 26". Adult back, wings, neck, and head are slaty blue. The belly and underwings are white. There is a white line down the entire foreneck and the base of the neck is purplish. The neck and legs are long; the bill very long, thin, gray, and black-tipped. During courtship, the tri-colored has long, buffy plumes on back. It fishes by slow stalking and wild running pursuit in shallow water.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Tri-colored Heron
L 26". Adult back, wings, neck, and head are slaty blue. The belly and underwings are white. There is a white line down the entire foreneck and the base of the neck is purplish. The neck and legs are long; the bill very long, thin, gray, and black-tipped. During courtship, the tri-colored has long, buffy plumes on back. It fishes by slow stalking and wild running pursuit in shallow water.