European Blue Heron

The European Blue Heron (A. Cinerea), found in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia, and accidentally in Greenland; is colored very much like the two species above described, but differs in having the thighs and the edge of the wing white instead of cinnamon-rufous. It is also smaller,being but about three feet in length. This species was formerly abundant in England, where it was preserved for the royal sport of hawking, but with the decline of this sport it has almost disappeared except in a few protected localities. Great White Heron. Another striking American species is the Great White Heron (A. Occidentalis) of. Florida and the Greater Antilles, which is entirely pure white in color, with elongated ornamental plumbs on the fore neck. Its this, however, is not always true. I have occasionally skinned Herons that were decidedly habits are similar to those of the Great Blue Heron except that it is perhaps more sedate and less animated. It collects in flocks often of a hundred or more on the flats and sand-bars where it feeds.