William H. Wiley
402-875-1809
bill@wmwiley.com
1221 Rockhurst Dr.
Lincoln, NE 68510
In the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge in South Carolina, this Tricolored Heron let there be no doubt about who rules the roost.
Great Egrets are tall, long-legged wading birds with long, S-curved necks and long, dagger-like bills. All their feathers are white, while their bills are yellow-orange and the legs black. Great Egrets wade in shallow water (both fresh and salt) to hunt fish, frogs, and other small aquatic animals. They typically stand still and watch for unsuspecting prey to pass by. Then, with startling speed, the egrets strike with a jab of their long neck and bill. They are colonial nesters, typically placing stick nests high in trees, often on islands that are isolated from mammalian predators such as raccoons.
With eyesight about eight times better than a human’s, bald eagles have the ability to soar high and spot rodents and other prey far below. The tips of the wings are widely separated to reduce turbulence as air passes over and when the eagle is soaring, the tail feathers are spread to attain the largest surface area and increase the effect of thermals and updrafts. The tail also helps brake the eagle when landing and assists in stabilization during a controlled dive or swoop toward prey.
