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Green Herons Migrating

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Green Herons (Butorides virescens) are small, crested, wading birds that inhabit wetland thickets throughout most of North America. After breeding, most tend to wander to more favorable foraging areas before migrating south to Florida, Central and South America. Migration begins in late August/early September and by mid-October, most Green Herons have departed.

Green Herons are among the few species of birds that use tools in order to lure fish to within their striking distance. Bread, mayflies, twigs, leaves, berries, earthworms and feathers are among the lures they have been observed dropping into the water as bait. To watch a video of a persistent and successful Green Heron fishing with a lure, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Porp5v5lLKk .

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13 responses

  1. FYI: Your link to the video produced an error message.

    September 22, 2016 at 7:55 am

    • Thank you! Hope you got the correction!

      September 22, 2016 at 2:13 pm

  2. Tara Johnson

    The link didn’t work for me, Mary. I think this one will play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Porp5v5lLKk. Fascinating video, and great post. As usual!

    September 22, 2016 at 7:58 am

  3. Marilyn

    Thanks to Tara.That’s a very methodical fisher-bird! Fascinating.

    September 22, 2016 at 8:08 am

  4. Diane

    I clicked to view the video. Message said, “video does not exist.”

    September 22, 2016 at 8:18 am

    • Thank you, Diane. I left off a “k” at the end. Hope you got the correction!

      September 22, 2016 at 2:13 pm

  5. Suzanne Champlin

    Mary, the youtube video of the heron fishing needs a lower case k on the end.

    September 22, 2016 at 8:41 am

  6. Al Stoops

    Interesting video (once that lower case k is added at the end). I did some searching and found several other videos online that showed green herons fishing successfully using bread, and finally found one where it used a more traditional bait, though it wasn’t successful in that case. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_Tv8bpiHQo

    September 22, 2016 at 9:21 am

    • Thanks, Al. Loved seeing the damselfly snagged and used as bait!

      September 22, 2016 at 11:09 am

  7. Amy and Michael Robinson

    Hello,

    I tried to go to the video mentioned in this blog page and I received a message that said that it does not exist. Please reply. Thank you. Amy

    September 22, 2016 at 7:31 pm

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