Little Green Heron Testing the Water

by Mitch Spence

Title

Little Green Heron Testing the Water

Artist

Mitch Spence

Medium

Photograph

Description

This lovely little green heron looks as though it's putting in a toe to test the water, but, of course, it's probably just getting ready to take a bit of a wade to see if it can find a goodie for lunch. The focus and stillness of this pretty bird (Butorides virescens) is extraordinary as it stands in a frozen pose waiting for that flicker of light that indicates a fish darting by. The bird's name comes from "butor," which means bittern in Middle English and the Greek "oides," meaning resembling.

These small herons live in both North and Central America. They are patient in their hunt, waiting to grab a passing fish with their sharp bills. They also are said to actually lure fish by using a piece of bait, such as an insect, or a small twig. What is called green on the back is an iridescent color, which may often look dull gray, slate blue, or simply dark, depending on the light. The bird is solitary and secretive most of the time and lives in brush near water and areas of thick vegetation.

Uploaded

November 29th, 2020

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