Having a Bad hair day! (1 Viewer)

I went out on my local patch Sunday to photograph the "familia Garza", the Boat-billed Herons (Garza Cucharon en espanol).

While the birds are nocturnal, they seem to always be up and about in their Heronry when I go there. They make quite a racket whenever they are disturbed by the other birds that frequent their "pond" and then as they argue with each other over roosting places.

I'm attaching two photos, one a normal view and the second which will give an idea of the incredible crest they have. The description in Howell's book is spot on when he says "they have an extremely long and exhuberant crest made of black plumes". Exhuberent is right on, or maybe just a really bad hair day!

Hi Dave,

It does look like somebody has stuck that crest on top as an afterthought.

Nice pics of wierd, prehistoric looking birds.

Woody

cracking pix of a top bird Dave

what else is in the area....Bare-throated Tiger Herons perhaps?

Thanks Woody and Tim,
What else in the area? This particular property is a private crocodile farm (10 pesos admission). Its about 10 Hectares with lots of ponds and then backs up on a lagoon. Yes, there are Bare-throated Tiger-Herons. The Heronry has about 40 Boat-billeds, tons of White Ibis, Snowy Egrets and then several of the Great Egrets, Great and Little Blue Herons, and some Cattle Egrets.

Also 4 of the 5 Mexican Kingishers here as well as oodles of Great Kiskadees, Tropical Mockingbirds, Hooded and Baltimore Orioles, Scarlet Tanagers, Black-headed Trogons, 3 Hummingbird species, Mangrove Swallows,
and on and on... Could say "Bird Rich".

There are very few visitors so you typically have the place to yourself (of course this means you are the only food source for the hordes of mosquitos).

That crest looks like something Patti LaBelle could have worn! What a hoot!!

Your local patch sounds really terrific -- except for those mosquitos!

Hi Bev,I think that you should know about Mosquito's, if any one does.LOL

Great looking birds, but I think I would rather take my chances with the mosquitoes than the crocs!