Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge


The Least Bittern was photographed at the Cameron Prairie Wildlife Refuge in Bell City, Louisiana.

Select this link to see an album of photos of the Least Bittern, next select slideshow

The Least Bittern is a small thin bright buff brown Heron with a dark brown top and yellow legs. It has a range from southeastern Canada and eastern half of United States to northeastern Argentina. Its diet is mostly fish and insects. They move slowly through dense marsh grass, and are not easy to flush or to be seen. It climbs about in cattails, reeds, and other aquatic plants, clinging to the stems with its long toes.

Select this link to see Cameron Prairie National Refuge photos

 

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

 

The adult Purple Gallinule photos were taken at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Southwest Louisiana.

The adult Purple Gallinule photos were taken at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Southwest Louisiana.

The juvenile Purple Gallinule photos were also taken at the Cameron Prairie Wildlife Refuge.

The juvenile Purple Gallinule photos were also taken at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge.

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

The adult Purple Gallinule is very colorful with head and underparts a violet-purple, back a bronzy green, bill red with a yellow tip, legs yellow, and with a blue forehead shield. It has long legs. The juvenile Purple Gallinule is a drab brown above, pale below, bill brown, and with yellow legs. It has a range of southeast United States to Argentina. It has a habitat of fresh swamps, and ponds. It eats a wide variety of plants, seeds, and fruits, and small animals such as insects, frogs, snails, spiders, worms, and fish. It usually walks on floating vegetation or climbs through brush rather than swimming. It also climbs bushes.

Select this link to see where the Purple Gallinule photos were taken

The Neotropic Cormorant was photographed at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Bell City, Louisiana.

The Neotropic Cormorant was photographed at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Bell City, Louisiana.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Neotropic Cormorant

The Neotropic Cormorant is a large blackish water bird with a slender bill with hooked tip, a narrow white mask on the face, and may strike a spread-eagle pose. It has a range around the Gulf of Mexico, coastal Texas, and southwest Louisiana at the Cameron Parish. It has a habitat of tidal waters and lakes near the Gulf coasts. Their diet is fish and crustaceans. They swim low in the water with the bill tilted up at an angle.

 

The male Blue-Winged Teal was photographed at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Bell City, Louisiana

The male Blue-Winged Teal was photographed at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Bell City, Louisiana

The female Blue-Winged Teal. Both the male and female were photographed at the same time and place.

The female Blue-Winged Teal. Both the male and female were photographed at the same time and place.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Blue Winged Teal

The male Blue-Winged Teal is mottled brown having a dark head with a white facial crescent, and a chalky blue patch on the forewing when it can be seen. The female Blue-Winged Teal is mottled brown with a chalky blue patch on the forewing when it can be seen. It has a range of Canada to the southern United States. It has a habitat in shallow fresh ponds and marshes. It feeds mainly on seeds and plant material. It seldom upends and feeds away from the water. It forages in shallow water, gleaning items from the surface or swimming forward with head partly submerged.

This Yeloow-Crowned Night Heron was photographed at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Bell City, Lousiiana.

This Yellow-Crowned Night Heron was photographed at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Bell City, Louisiana.

This Yellow-Crowned Night Heron was photographed in San Antonio, Texas on the River walk.

This Yellow-Crowned Night Heron was photographed in San Antonio, Texas on the River walk.

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Yellow-Crowned Night Heron

The Yellow-Crowned Heron is a gray heron with a black head with a white cheek patch and crown. It has speckled wings and back, long yellow legs, and a stout bill. It has a range of the east and gulf coast and southern United States. It has a habitat of cypress swamps, mangroves, bayous, marshes, and stream. It feeds on crustaceans, mainly crabs and crayfish. It is a more solitary and secretive bird.

The smallest Heron, the Least Bittern, was photographed at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Bell City, Louisiana

The smallest Heron, the Least Bittern, was photographed at the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge in Bell City, Louisiana

Select this link to see photos or a slideshow of the Least Bittern Heron

Select this link to see Cameron Prairie National Refuge photos

The Least Bittern is a small thin bright buff brown Heron with a dark brown top and yellow legs. It has a range from southeastern Canada and eastern half of United States to northeastern Argentina. Its diet is mostly fish and insects. They move slowly through dense marsh grass, and are not easy to flush or to be seen. It climbs about in cattails, reeds, and other aquatic plants, clinging to the stems with its long toes.