October 2016


The adult Little Blue Heron was photographed at Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana.

The adult Little Blue Heron was photographed at Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana.

The immature Little BLue Heron was also photographed at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge.

The immature Little Blue Heron was also photographed at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Little Blue Heron

The adult Little Blue Heron is a slender, medium sized Heron of bluish color with possibly brownish neck, dull olive green legs, and a thick tapered pale bluish bill with a black tip. The immature Little Blue Heron is all white with olive green legs, and a pale blue bill with a black tip. It has a range of the eastern United States to Peru and Argentina. It has a habitat of marshes, swamps, rice fields, ponds, and shores. Its diet is mainly small fish and crustaceans. It is slow and methodical in foraging in shallow water, on shore, or grassy fields.

Select this link to see where the Little Blue Heron photos were taken

 

The adult Common Gallinule was photographed at Cameron Prairie National Refuge in Louisiana.

The adult Common Gallinule was photographed at Cameron Prairie National Refuge in Louisiana.

The immature Common Gallinule was also photographed at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge.

The immature Common Gallinule was also photographed at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Common Gallinule or Moorhen

The bird is made of two species called the Common Gallinule in North and South America, and the Common Moorhen in Europe, Asia, and Africa. There are mainly two differences between them; their vocalization, and the shape and size of the red head shield. The Common Gallinule has and is referenced as a Common Moorhen in some bird books.

The adult Common Gallinule has a gray-tan top, gray bottom, and red beak with yellow tip, red head shield, white flank stripe, red-yellow legs, and white under the tail. The immature Common Gallinule is a dull brownish-gray color top and bottom, a drab maroon bill, no head shield, with yellow legs, a white flank stripe, and white under the tail. It inhabits well-vegetated marshes, ponds, canals, and other wetlands with a range from Canada to Chile. It eats seeds of grasses and sedge, small aquatic creatures, and some snails. It uses its long toes to walk on top of floating vegetation and grasses. It will fight to defend its territory.

Select this link to see where the Common Gallinule photos were taken in Louisiana