Audubon's Birds/BIRDSVER1_3.BIN/dp/0063/00633.txt

Text File | 1992-08-27 | 18KB | 276 lines

$Unique_ID{BRD00633}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Louisiana Heron}
$Subject{Ardeinae; Ardea; Egretta; Ludoviciana; tricolor; Louisiana Heron;
Tricolored Heron}
$Journal{Birds of America:  Volume VI}
$Volume{Vol. 6:156-162}
$Family{Ardeinae}
$Genus{Ardea; Egretta}
$Species{Ludoviciana; tricolor}
$Common_Name{Louisiana Heron; Tricolored Heron}
$Log{
Plate CCCLXXIII*00633P1.scf
Family*00621.txt
Genus*00622.txt
}

       Portions copyright (c) Creative Multimedia Corp., 1990-91, 1992

                       B I R D S   O F   A M E R I C A .

                    By John James Audubon, F. R. SS. L. & E.

                   ------------------------------------------
                                   VOL.  VI.
                        --------------------------------


                                LOUISIANA HERON.
                              [Tricolored Heron.]


                            ARDEA LUDOVICIANA, Wils.
                              [Egretta tricolor.]


                            PLATE CCCLXXIII.--MALE.


     Delicate in form, beautiful in plumage, and graceful in its movements, I
never see this interesting Heron, without calling it the Lady of the Waters.
Watch its motions, as it leisurely walks over the pure sand beaches of the coast
of Florida, arrayed in the full beauty of its spring plumage.  Its pendent crest
exhibits its glossy tints, its train falls gracefully over a well defined tail,
and the tempered hues of its back and wings contrast with those of its lower
parts.  Its measured steps are so light that they leave no impression on the
sand, and with its keen eye it views every object around with the most perfect
accuracy.  See, it has spied a small fly lurking on a blade of grass, it
silently runs a few steps, and with the sharp point of its bill it has already
secured the prey.  The minnow just escaped from the pursuit of some larger fish
has almost rushed upon the beach for safety; but the quick eye of the Heron has
observed its motions, and in an instant it is swallowed alive.  Among the
herbage yet dripping with dew the beautiful bird picks its steps.  Not a snail
can escape its keen search, and as it moves around the muddy pool, it secures
each water lizard that occurs.  Now the sun's rays have dried up the dews, the
flowers begin to droop, the woodland choristers have ended their morning
concert, and like them, the Heron, fatigued with its exertions, seeks a place of
repose under the boughs of the nearest bush, where it may in safety await the
coolness of the evening.  Then for a short while it again searches for food.
Little difficulty does it experience in this; and at length, with the last
glimpse of day, it opens its wings, and flies off towards its well-known
roosting-place, where it spends the night contented and happy.
     This species, which is a constant resident in the southern parts of the
peninsula of the Floridas, seldom rambles far from its haunts during the winter
season, being rarely seen at that period beyond Savannah in Georgia to the
eastward.  To the west it extends to the broad sedgy flats bordering the mouths
of the Mississippi, along the whole Gulf of Mexico, and perhaps much farther
south.  In the beginning of spring, it is found abundantly in the Carolinas, and
sometimes as far east as Maryland, or up the Mississippi as high as Natchez.
You never find it far inland:  perhaps forty miles would be a considerable
distance at any time of the year.  It is at all seasons a social bird, moving
about in company with the Blue Heron or the White Egret.  It also frequently
associates with the larger species, and breeds in the same places, along with
the White Heron, the Yellow-crowned Heron, and the Night Heron; but more
generally it resorts to particular spots for this purpose, keeping by itself,
and assembling in great numbers.  Those which visit the Carolinas, or the
country of the Mississippi, make their appearance there about the first of
April, or when the Egrets and other species of Heron seek the same parts,
returning to the Floridas or farther south about the middle of September,
although I have known some to remain there during mild winters.  When this is
the case, all the other species may be met with in the same places, as the
Louisiana Heron is the most delicate in constitution of all.  Whilst at St.
Augustine in Florida, in the month of January, I found this species extremely
abundant there; but after a hard frost of a few days, they all disappeared,
leaving the other Herons, none of which seemed to be affected by the cold, and
returned again as soon as the Fahrenheit thermometer rose to 80 degrees.  There
they were in full livery by the end of February, and near Charleston by the 5th
of April.
     Although timid, they are less shy than most ethier species, and more easily
procured.  I have frequently seen one alight at the distance of a few yards, and
gaze on me as if endeavouring to discover my intentions.  This apparent
insensibility to danger has given rise to the appellation of Egrette folle,
which is given to them in Lower Louisiana.
     The flight of this beautiful Heron is light, rather irregular, swifter than
that of any other species, and capable of being considerably protracted.  They
usually move in long files, rather widely separated, and in an undulating
manner, with constant flappings.  When proceeding towards their roosts, or when
on their migrations, they pass as high over the country as other species; on the
former occasion, they pass and repass over the same tract, thus enabling the
gunner easily to shoot them, which he may especially calculate on doing at the
approach of night, when they are gorged with food, and fly lower than in the
morning.  They may, however, be still more surely obtained on their arriving at
their roosting place, where they alight at once among the lowest branches.  On
being shot at, they seldom fly to a great distance, and their attachment to a
particular place is such that you are sure to find them there during the whole
period of their stay in the country, excepting the breeding time.  At the cry
of a wounded one, they assail you in the manner of some Gulls and Terns, and may
be shot in great numbers by any person fond of such sport.
     On the 29th of April, while wading around a beautiful key of the Floridas,
in search of certain crustaceous animals called the sea crayfish, my party and I
suddenly came upon one of the breeding places of the Louisiana Heron.  The
southern exposures of this lovely island were overgrown with low trees and
bushes matted together by thousands of smilaxes and other creeping plants,
supported by various species of cactus.  Among the branches some hundred pairs
of these lovely birds had placed their nests, which were so low and so close to
each other, that without moving a step one could put his hand into several.  The
birds thus taken by surprise rose affrighted into the air, bitterly complaining
of being disturbed in their secluded retreat.  The nests were formed of small
dried sticks crossing each other in various ways.  They were flat, had little
lining, and each contained three eggs, all the birds being then incubating.
Observing that many eggs had been destroyed by the Crows and Buzzards, as the
shells were scattered on the ground, I concluded that many of the Herons had
laid more than once, to make up their full complement of eggs; for my opinion
is, that all our species, excepting the Green Heron, never lay more nor less
than three, unless an accident should happen.  The eggs of the Louisiana Heron
measure one inch and six and a half twelfths in length, an inch and a quarter in
breadth; they are nearly elliptical, of a beautiful pale blue colour inclining
to green, smooth, and with a very thin shell.  The period of incubation is
twenty-one days.  Like all other species of the genus, this raises only one
brood in the season.  The little island of which I have spoken lies exposed to
the sea, and has an extent of only a few acres.  The trees or bushes with which
it was covered seeme