Tags:   Birds Estero Llano Grande Wesleco Texas World Birding Center Black-Crown Night Heron

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Tags:   Paruraque Estero Llano Grande Wesleco Texas World Birding Center Birds

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Tags:   Estero Llano Grande Wesleco Texas World Birding Center Birds

© All Rights Reserved

I watched this Green Heron or otherwise known as a Green Backed Blue Heron for just about an hour as he was hunting for fish in a canal that comes off of the Rio Grande River at Estero Llano Grande State Park. The weather is pretty hot in July when my wife and I took a guided bird tour.

This was a pretty large adult male I am guessing close to 15 inches tall. Female adults tend to be smaller than males, and have duller and lighter plumage. These birds don’t often hang out in groups are and have been observed hovering for just a moment while they hunt.

I observed and photographed this Green Backed Blue Heron hunting by perching on a branch just inches above the water waiting for a meal to pass by. In one swift move he dove into the water and produced a small fish no more than 6 inches in length. Green Backed Blue Herons are known to “fish” for their dinner by baiting fish with insects. This behavior has the Green Backed Blue Heron being called one of the most intelligent birds.

Tags:   Male Green Heron Blue Rio Grande River Estero Llano State Park fishing Stretch hunting

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