Green heron
Images copyright by Mark A. Chappell



The green heron is a common (but often secretive) small heron across much of North, Central, and South America.   Adults sport bright colors (especially when breeding); juveniles (bottom) are brownish and streaked.   The adult at left was hunting water insects and fish in a pond at the San Jacinto Wildlife Area near Riverside, California, and the upper right bird was in Sawgrass Park near Tampa, Florida.   The 'portrait' was shot near a small pond near Palm Desert, California.   The flying bird below was at the nearby Whitewater River delta on the Salton Sea, the bird in the three images below were in Everglades National Park, Florida, and the juvenile was standing in pickleweed at Bolsa Chica wetlands in coastal Orange County, California.

  • digital captures, Canon 10D, 1D Mk. II, or 1D3, 500 mm IS lens plus 1.4X converter, fill-in flash (2003, 2005, 2006, 2008)