Identification of Waterfowl at The Shores of Long Bayou Ernie Franke eafranke@tampabay.rr.com April 2015
Easy Identification of the Waterfowl Many Birds Look Alike: Great Blue Heron and Tri-Colored (Louisiana) Heron Great Blue Heron Is Larger, Lacks White Belly and Has a Paler Neck Great White Heron and Snowy Egret Great White Heron Have Yellow Beak, Yellow Legs and Black Feet Snowy Egret Have Black Beak, Black Legs and Yellow Feet Mallard and Mottled Ducks Female Mallard Resembles Male and Female Mottled Duck Moorhens and Coots Moorhens Have an Orange Shield Across Their Face Coots Have a White Shield Across Their Face Anhinga and Cormorant Cormorants Have Hooked Bills Cormorant Swims with Its Back Out of the Water, Whereas Only the Anhinga s Head Sticks Out of the Water Yes, Cliff Clavin, in just a short time, you will be able to amaze your friends with your trivia of waterfowl. 2
Nature Reserve for Shores of Long Bayou HOA The Wetlands Committee Voluntarily Looks after Most of the Stormwater Ponds and All of the Trails within the Yellow Line The Shores of Long Bayou HOA protects a large nature reserve. 3
Stormwater Ponds and Lakes of The Shores of Long Bayou Spoonbill Pond Black-Bird Pond Osprey Pond Quail Pond Snowy Egret Lake Ibis Pond Blue Heron Lake Lily Pad Pond Cormorant Pond Anhinga Pond 4
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Great Blue Heron Large, Gray Bird Long, Brownish or Greenish Legs Long, "S"-Shaped Neck Long, Thick, Yellow Bill White Crown Stripe Black Plume Extending from Behind Eye to Off the Back of the Neck Shaggy Feathers on Neck and Back Bluish Gray Back, Wings, and Belly Reddish or Gray Neck White Morph All White with Pale Legs, Front of Neck Streaked with White, Black, and Rusty Brown Yellow Eyes Rust-Colored Thighs Black Patch at Bend of Wing Flight Feathers Blackish on Top, Contrasting with Center of Wings Cinnamon Patch at Leading Edge of Underside of Wing Immature: Similar to Adult, But with Ray Crown, Dark Upper Bill, Rusty Brown Edging to Back Feathers, and Lacks Body Plumes. 6
Great Blue Heron 7
Great Heron in Ibis Pond 8
Great Blue Heron Notice the showy, seasonal mating feathers on the male s breast. 9
Tri-Colored or Louisiana Heron Medium-Sized, Slender Heron Long, Slender Neck and Bill Dark Back and Neck White Belly Immature: Similar to Adult, But More Reddish. 10
Tri-Colored Heron amongst Alligator weed 11
Tri-Colored or Louisiana Heron 12
Little Blue Heron Medium-Sized, Slender Heron All Dark Long Neck,Dark Bill, and Legs Immature: White, with Pale, Black-Tipped Bill and Greenish Legs. Enters Adult Plumage in the First Spring after Hatching and May Be Pied White and Blue. 13
Little Blue Heron 14
Great White Heron 15
Great White Heron 16
Snowy Egret Medium-Sized, Slender All-White Heron Back Legs and Yellow Feet Long, Thin Neck, Bill, and Legs Dark Bill Immature: Similar to Adult, But Bill Pale at Base and Legs Yellow with Black Front Edge. 17
Snowy Egret 18
Snowy Egret (black beak, black legs, yellow feet) 19
Green Heron Small, Dark, Stocky Heron Yellowish or Yellowish-Orange Legs, Glossy Orange During Breeding Dark, Pointed Bill Velvet-Green Back, Rich Chestnut Body Greenish Black Cap, Often Raised into a Short Crest Wings Blackish with Greenish or Bluish Gloss Neck Rufous Gray Underparts Wing Feathers Edged in Buff Orange or Yellow Eyes Immature: Striped Brownish on Neck and Chest. Back Brownish with Buffy Spots. 20
Green Heron 21
Green Heron 22
Black-Crowned Night-Heron Medium-Sized, Stocky Heron Short Neck and Thick Black Bill Black Cap and Back Silver-Gray Wings White Underparts Long, Thin, White Plumes Coming from Rear of Cap Relatively Short, Yellowish Green or Pink Legs Red Eyes Immature: Brown with Large White Spots on Wings and Blurry Streaks on Underparts. 23
Black-Crowned Night-Heron 24
Yellow-Crowned Night Heron Medium-Sized Rather Stocky Heron Black Face and Bill, with White Cheek Yellowish Crown Stripe Gray Body Yellow Legs Immature: Long Neck. Thick, Dagger-Like Black Bill, Grayish- Brown Body with Thin White Streaks on Neck, Small White Spots on Wings, Red Iris, Long, Yellow-Green Legs. 25
Yellow-Crowned Night Heron Behind Building 8 26
Wood Stork and Spoonbill in Osprey Pond 27
Roseate Spoonbill The Roseate Spoonbill doesn t need clues for identification. 28
Roseate Spoonbill in Osprey Pond 29
Wood Stork in Osprey Pond 30
Wood Stork in Anhinga Pond 31
Black Skimmer Medium-Sized to Large Waterbird Long Red and Black Bill; Lower Half Extended Black Back and Cap White Underparts Very Short Red Legs Long, Pointed Wings Immature Description: Similar to Adult, but with Mottled Black-and-White Back and Head. 32
Black Skimmer in Blue-Winged Teal or Anhinga Pond 33
American White Ibis Flocks of Ibis are often seen aerating the soil with their pointed beaks. 34
American White Ibis 35
Immature Ibis 36
Lesser Scaup Medium-Sized Diving Duck Slight Bump or Peak on Back of Head Bluish Bill with Small Black Tip Male with Black Head, Chest, and Rear End, and Gray Sides (Black on the Ends and White in the Middle) White Stripe Extends only Half-Way Out Wings Yellow Eyes Grayish Legs, with Dark Gray Webs. 37
Lesser Scaups (Females and Male) 38
Lesser Scaup (female) 39
Common Moorhen Dark, with White Flank Stripe Orange Bill and Forehead Yellow Tip on Bill (Like Candy Corn) Swims on Surface of Water Like a Duck Triangular Bill, Like a Chicken's, Not Flat Like a Duck White Stripe on Sides of Undertail. If the black water-chicken has an orange forehead, it s a Moorhen. 40
Common Moorhen 41
Moorhen and Baby 42
Common Moorhen 43
American Coot All Black Swims and Dives White Bill with Black Mark Near Tip Triangular Bill, Like a Chicken's, Not Flat Like a Duck White Stripe on Sides of Undertail. If the black water-chicken has a white forehead, it s a Coot. 44
American Coot 45
American Coot 46
Mallard Duck Large Dabbling Duck Male with Iridescent Green Head, Rusty Chest, and Gray Body Female Mottled Brown Back of Wing (speculum) Shiny Blue, with White Line in Front and Behind White Wing Linings Bright Orange Legs 47
Mallard Duck (Male) 48
Mallard Duck (Male and Female) 49
The speculum is a patch of distinctive color on the wing, and is usually iridescent on dabbling ducks, as shown here on this female mallard. 50
This isn t a female mallard. It s a mottled duck. Though she resembles a mallard, her head and neck are noticeably paler than her body and her speculum is light blue, instead of purple. The mottled ducks lifestyle is very similar to the mallards except that these live only in Florida and along the Gulf coast. 51
Notice the Extra Black on the Bill of the Female Mottled (or Florida) Duck 52
Mottled Ducks (Brighter-billed male on left, Female on right) 53
Mottled Ducks in Osprey Pond (Female left, Male right) Turned-Up Tail Feathers on Male 54
Mottled Ducks in Osprey Pond (Male in Front) Turned-Up Tail Feathers on Male 55
Double-Crested Cormorant Large, Dark Water Bird Long Body and Long Neck Medium-Sized Bill Is Blunt or Hooked at Tip Legs Short and Dark Moderately Long Tail Bare Skin around Face Orange Often Sits with Wings Extended Neck Kinked during Flight Adult All Black with Greenish Gloss Has Small Plumes Over Eyes In Breeding; May Be White, Black, or Mottled Brilliant Turquoise Eyes Immature: Pale Upper Breast and Throat. Chest Variable from Nearly Whitish to Dusky. Usually Chest Pale and Belly Dark, but May Be Uniform Pale Below. 56
Double-Crested Cormorant 57
Cormorants Have Hooked Bills The Cormorant swims with its back out of the water, whereas only the Anhinga s head sticks out of the water. 58
Anhingas Have Spear Bills 59
Anhinga Anhingas swim looking all mysterious and snake-like. 60
Brown Pelican Large, Dark Waterbird Long Bill with Extensible Pouch Short Legs Large and Heavy Body Webbed Feet Long and Broad Wings Short Tail Soars Close to Water Surface. Dives from the Air into the Water Non-Breeding Plumage: Pale Yellow Head, White Neck Immature: Dirty Brown All Over with White Belly, Pale Line along Middle of Underwing. Gray-Brown Bill. 61
Brown Pelican (seen among the Mangroves) 62
Osprey Large Raptor White Breast and Belly Black Back and Wings Long Wings, Held with Wingtips Angled Slightly Backwards Dark Eyestripe (Mask of Zorro) White Crown and Forehead Large, Black Mark at Wrist" or Bend in the Wing Dark Speckling on Chest Yellow Eyes Gray Legs and Feet Tail and Wing Feathers Finely Barred Black and Gray Black Bill Immature: Similar to Adult, But with Whitish Scaling on Back Feathers, Fewer Markings on Chest and Orange Eyes. 63
Osprey The Osprey wears the mask of Zorro. 64
Limpkin near Anhinga Pond Large Waterfowl Long Neck Long Bill Long Legs Brown with White Spots Immature: Similar to Adult, But with Fewer, Thinner White Spots. 65