Minnesota is nicknamed The Land of 10,000 Lakes but that does not take into account all of the rivers, streams, ponds, and marshes that you can find here. All of these wetlands make this good habitat for birds like the green heron.
If you are looking for green herons the best place to look is habitat with shallow water. They wade through the water in search of fish, frogs, insects and invertebrates, such as the crayfish in the pictures above and below. While stalking their prey they move very slowly through the water until they get close then they swiftly dart their head forward snatching the prey with their beak.
Sometimes, when hunting, the green heron will take a page out of mankind's book and use bait to lure prey in close. To do this they drop a worm, small stick or feather onto the surface of the water and then wait for a fish to come and check out the bait. Before the fish realizes anything it is caught in the heron's long thin beak. These pictures where taken at the Maplewood Nature Center in September of 2008. Last year because of the dry conditions in the area that I live I did not see very many green herons.
Minnesota is nicknamed The Land of 10,000 Lakes but that does not take into account all of the rivers, streams, ponds, and marshes that you can find here. All of these wetlands make this good habitat for birds like the green heron. 
If you are looking for green herons the best place to look is habitat with shallow water. They wade through the water in search of fish, frogs, insects and invertebrates, such as the crayfish in the pictures above and below. While stalking their prey they move very slowly through the water until they get close then they swiftly dart their head forward snatching the prey with their beak.
Sometimes, when hunting, the green heron will take a page out of mankind's book and use bait to lure prey in close. To do this they drop a worm, small stick or feather onto the surface of the water and then wait for a fish to come and check out the bait. Before the fish realizes anything it is caught in the heron's long thin beak. These pictures where taken at the Maplewood Nature Center in September of 2008. Last year because of the dry conditions in the area that I live I did not see very many green herons.
18 comments:
Cool shots of the Green heron. It is my favorite heron and your capture it beautifully.
That's a great set of captures. Someone enjoyed their lunch.
Lovely shots. Wonderful series.
Like the second image, are these birds in some way related to egrets?
Amazing series of photos!
My CC
Enjoyed seeing a green heron up close - the green feathers are beautiful.
These are just wonderful picture of the green heron. I enjoyed reading the facts you posted. I didn't know they "used bait" that way! Just fascinating. Minnesota sounds like a great place to go birding. ~karen
Outstanding sequence!
Wonderful critter, thanks for sharing!
Have a nice weekend
purrs and love
Luna
Beautiful!
My Camera Critters entry
Great close-ups!
I played too :)
Beautiful!!
My C C is posted below my Photo Hunt Photo. Come see if you have time in your busy day! Happy weekend.
HERE
Oh my this is so lovely photo. Thanks for sharing!
CC:Buffalo
I love it when the green and blue herons show up at the same time and 'argue' about who gets to fish our pond....Nice captures and info...Michelle
Gorgeous!
Please take a peek at the Mocking Bird at my page.
Excellent shots!
Beautiful photos of a shy bird! Thanks for sharing.
I love how you have gotten all of the colors in the feathers. I watched a pair raise their chicks across the water from my house one year, but never saw them as clearly as this!
Neat to see a heron up close. He has this staring kind of eye.
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