© Walter
Bauer, Sugar Land, Texas, 1998
Field Marks: A medium-sized, slender heron. Adult: Slaty blue with dark maroon neck (blackish at distance); legs dark.
Voice: A low, hoarse croak.
Where found: Eastern United States to Peru, Argentina. Migratory in United States.
Texas: Summers (March - October) in Eastern, central, and coastal parts but is less frequent westward. It does wander irregularly in late summer to north Texas and Panhandle. It winters mainly on the coast. Breeds locally in freshwater swamps and mostly in the eastern and southern sections.
Habitat: Marshes, rice fields, ponds, mudflats, 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.
Eating: This particular heron had caught a medium size frog and was attempting to swallow it. If you look closely you can see the legs hanging out on each side of its beak.