File:The birds of America - from drawings made in the United States and their territories (1840) (14565106979).jpg

Identifier: birdsofamericafr06audu (find matches)
Title: The birds of America : from drawings made in the United States and their territories
Year: 1840 (1840s)
Authors: Audubon, John James, 1785-1851 Bowen, John T., ca. 1801-1856?, lithographer
Subjects: Birds Birds
Publisher: New York : Published by J.J. Audubon Philadelphia : J.B. Chevalier
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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he swamps and lakes on theborders of which are so well adapted to the habits of these birds, few indi-viduals are ever seen above Natchez. About the beginning of September,by which time the young are able to shift for themselves, they return south-ward. When in the Floridas, during winter, I observed that the Blue Heronsassociated with other species, particularly the White Heron, Jlrdea Egretta,and the Louisiana Heron, Jlrdea Ludoviciana, all of which were in thehabit of roosting together in the thick evergreen low bushes that cover thecentral parts of the islands along the coast. Their passage to and from theirfeeding places, is as regular as the rising and setting of the sun, and, unlessfrequently disturbed, they betake themselves every night to the samelocality, and almost to the same spot. In the morning, they rise with oneaccord from the roosts on which they have been standing all night on one leg,the other drawn up among the feathers of the abdomen, their neck retracted, 1 V j ?
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BLUE HERON. )49 and their head and bill buried beneath their scapulars. On emerging fromtheir retreats, they at once proceed to some distant place in search of food,and spend the day principally on the head waters of the rivers, and thefresh-water lakes of the interior, giving a decided preference to the soft mudbanks, where small crabs or fiddlers are abundant, on which they feedgreedily, when the inland ponds have been dried up, and consequently nolonger supply them with such fishes as they are wont to feed upon. There, and at this season, reader, you may see this graceful Heron, quietlyand in silence walking along the margins of the water, with an elegance andgrace which can never fail to please you. Each regularly-timed step islightly measured, while the keen eye of the bird seeks for and watches theequally cautious movements of the objects towards which it advances withall imaginable care. When at a proper distance, it darts forth its bill withastonishing celerity, to pierce and

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