Tag Archives: Tricolored Heron

Tricolored Heron On The Hunt

Tricolored Herons are in constant motion as they feed.

Tricolored Heron On The Hunt
Tricolored Heron On The Hunt

Occasionally showing off their full neck span:

Tricolored Heron On The Hunt
Tricolored Heron On The Hunt

When the catch is this small you need to feed continuously.

Tricolored Heron On The Hunt
Tricolored Heron On The Hunt

I passed this fellow a couple of times over the course of an hour or more, and he was just working his way back and forth in the shallow water.

Tricolored Heron On The Hunt
Tricolored Heron On The Hunt

A slight pause, watching for movement in the water.

Tricolored Heron On The Hunt
Tricolored Heron On The Hunt

Donnelley Wildlife Management Area, SC
October 17, 2021

Standing On The Trunk

Another wooden trunk between some old rice fields, this one controls the flow of water from the canal in the foreground to the impoundment behind that dike. This set of trunks was replaced last year and only this side has the full pivoting door mechanism.

Grackle, Juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-heron and Tricolored Heron on Rice Field Trunk
Grackle, Juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-heron and Tricolored Heron on Rice Field Trunk

I knelt down to get the next image, where you can see open water in the impoundment on the other side.  The grackle and the Tricolored Heron had moved on and the juvenile night heron took that opportunity to claim a post.

Juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-heron
Juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-heron

Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
September 14, 2022

Tricolored Heron Showing How It Is Done: Fishing on the Fly

This wooden trunk is the conduit for the canal water under the road between some old rice field impoundments, not far from where Snowy Egret Fishing on the Fly

Tricolored Heron Standing In Rice Field Trunk
Tricolored Heron Standing In Rice Field Trunk

Just before I took this series the Tricolored Heron nabbed a fish then landed back on the trunk support.

Tricolored Heron Standing In Rice Field Trunk
Tricolored Heron Standing In Rice Field Trunk

I waited, and waited then finally!

Tricolored Heron Standing Fishing On The Fly
Tricolored Heron Standing Fishing On The Fly

All that skittering on the water surface is from fish trying not to be lunch.

Tricolored Heron Standing Fishing On The Fly
Tricolored Heron Standing Fishing On The Fly

Unfortunately he flew close to the canal edge and I couldn’t get out far enough to keep the grass from interfering with my shot.

Tricolored Heron Standing Fishing On The Fly
Tricolored Heron Standing Fishing On The Fly

This time the heron kept flying down the canal with his catch.

Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, SC
September 14, 2022

Follow The Leader: Roseate Spoonbill and Tricolored Heron

Note: this post was supposed to get published this morning before “King of the Hill” and for some unknown reason is marked “Missed Schedule.” Not sure what is up with that, but here it is … I hope.

Wading birds often take advantage of another bird of their own or a different species leading the way as they feed.

Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron
Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron

It can work both ways.

Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron
Tricolored Heron Following Roseate Spoonbill

The Spoonbill will benefit from the edible morsels that get stirred up by the Heron’s passing by as he sifts the water.

Roseate Spoonbill With Tricolored Heron
Roseate Spoonbill With Tricolored Heron

The Heron is looking for larger prey, which also can reveal their position as the birds wade around.

Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron
Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron

These two birds stuck together for several minutes until the Spoonbill got distracted by another activity, seen in my next post.

Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron
Roseate Spoonbill Following Tricolored Heron

Black Point Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge,  FL
April 12, 2022

Territorial Dispute: Snowy Egret vs Tricolored Heron, Part 2

Now what turned into some beak clacking.

Snowy Egret and Tricolored Heron Faceoff
Snowy Egret and Tricolored Heron Faceoff

Size isn’t everything, but sometimes it helps.

Snowy Egret and Tricolored Heron Faceoff
Snowy Egret and Tricolored Heron Faceoff

Finally the Tricolored Heron made a full body move…

Snowy Egret and Tricolored Heron Faceoff
Snowy Egret and Tricolored Heron Faceoff

…pushing the Snowy Egret off his perch.

Snowy Egret and Tricolored Heron Faceoff
Snowy Egret and Tricolored Heron Faceoff

The Tricolored Heron got tangled up in the palm fronds for a few seconds, but not apparent damage.

Snowy Egret and Tricolored Heron Faceoff
Snowy Egret and Tricolored Heron Faceoff

Territorial Dispute: Snowy Egret vs Tricolored Heron, Part 1

St. Augustine Alligator Farm, FL
April 13, 2022