Dr. Robert Norman, Clinical Professor, Dermatology, Nova Southeastern University
What is this bird?
1. Egret
2. Green heron
3. Anhinga
4. Limpkin
5. Ibis
Here is a green heron, searching the water for food. Compared with most herons, green herons are short and stocky, with relatively short legs and thick necks that are often drawn up against their bodies. They have broad, rounded wings and a long, daggerlike bill. At times they raise their crown feathers into a short crest. The bird is about the size of an American crow and smaller than a black-crowned night-heron.
Green herons stand motionless at the water’s edge as they hunt for fish and amphibians. They typically stand on a branch or solid ground, and do not wade as often as larger herons. Green herons generally live around wooded ponds, marshes, rivers, reservoirs, and estuaries.
Where can you find this heron?
Get out and look for them in the Great Florida Outdoors!
Dr. Norman is an advanced master naturalist graduate of the FMNP program from UF and a board-certified dermatologist based in Tampa and Riverview. He can be reached at 813-880-7546.