The close-up of the Green Heron featured above shows how sleek and handsome these small herons are as adults.
But, when the young bird first begins to venture out from the nest, like this one, the Green Heron chick is a little ball of fluff, a vulnerable hatchling, covered with down. Even his eye doesn’t seem to be fully formed yet.
The male and the female parents take turns caring for the chicks, watching over them and bringing them food for up to a month after they fledge (All about Birds). This brave little guy was waiting expectantly for mom or dad to return.
In just a few months, the chicks’ plumage will begin to appear as smooth and rich in color as that of this adult Green Heron above. For more details about the Green Heron, see my previous posts: a https://birdersjourney.com/tag/green-heron/.
Never seen the chick before. Wonderful shots.
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Thank you! We have Green Herons all year around here and they’re really fun to watch. Luckily, there is usually at least one pair nesting in this spot each spring – quite visible from the boardwalk.
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Oh so fun to see this new chick, BJ –great photos!
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It was fun to watch them. I hope this last one fares well.
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Great shots Carol! New families are all over! A new generation is hatched! 🙂
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Thanks, HJ. Yes, we’re just nearing the end of the busiest nesting season in our wetlands. So many new wading birds.
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What a treat to get to watch this little one!
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We’ve been watching him daily and we think he has just fledged, as no one has seen him near the nest in the past day or two. I only hope no harm has come to him – the perils of the cycle of life are so apparent out there every day!
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Wonderful series Carol. Even though we have many wetlands and little green herons, I’ve never been fortunate enough to find a nest or stumble into young birds. Glad you shared!
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Thanks for visiting and glad you enjoyed them!
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Wonderful photos. I’ve only seen juvenile and adult herons, so seeing the chick was a real treat!
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So glad you could enjoy this fluffy little fellow, Belinda. Thanks for stopping by!
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What a wonderful post, BJ! And a special treat to see a Green Heron hatchling ❤
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Thank you for your visit, Tiny. This is the only one I’ve seen this year, though there were three eggs in the nest.
I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about your grandchildren’s love of birds. We are so happy that our young grandchildren enjoy birding with us when they can, too❤️
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Grew so fast! I love the fuzzy babies.
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Yes, they do mature more quickly than we can imagine, don’t they? I also love this stage when they still have so much fuzz. Thanks for your visit, Pam!
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Hi- I am in Charlotte, NC and have lived here for 48 years- yesterday was the 1s time I’ve seen this type of bird here. Do you you if it’s common or how they would end up so far inland?
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So nice to hear from you, Jackie! Interestingly, my son and his family moved to Charlotte last summer and we’ve had the pleasure of visiting twice – wonderful place! So glad you saw a Green Heron…they’re delightful birds! Because Green Herons are wetland birds, not shorebirds, it’s very common to see them inland. In fact, I lived in upstate New York until 7 years ago, and saw them often in our natural areas there, usually along the banks of small streams or ponds. Here’s a link to Green Heron info on a wonderful birding resource:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Green_Heron/overview
May you see many more~!
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