© Walter Bauer, Sugar Land, Texas, 1998
Field Marks: A large slender heron, snowy white with black legs and feet; yellow bill. Straight plumes on back when breeding.
Voice: A low, hoarse croak. Also a cuk, cuk, cuk.
Where found: North United States south to Strait of Magellan; also warmer parts of old world.
Texas: Resident in East and South Texas, wandering irregularly in summer to North Texas, Panhandle, and west to El Paso. Breeds locally, mainly near coast.
Habitat: Marshes, rice fields, ponds, shores.
Nest: A platform of sticks in tree in swamp or in bush on island and in a colony. The eggs are 3-5 and are blue.