Green Heron
The Green Heron has been seen a few times during fall migration at Salter Grove near the boat launch on mudflats exposed during low tide. Unlike the long-legged Great Egret or Great Blue Heron it tends to frequent shallow water because of its short legs. More often than not, it is perched on a branch or emergent vegetation.
It is one of the few "tool-using" animal species. Green Herons have been observed to drop small pieces of bread, dry leaves, feathers, insects or small twigs from a perch above water to lure small fish within striking distance of their dagger like bill. Unlike its long-legged relatives, it forages at night as well and is likely to be seen at dusk or dawn since it remains in thick vegetation during the day.
The Green Heron nests near small bodies of water lined with dense vegetation. Its breeding range extends from southern Canada, through the eastern half of the United States to northern South America. After the breeding season, northern populations move southward to winter in similar habitats where small fish and aquatic invertebrates remain abundant through the winter months.
Although there is some indication that its breeding range has expanded northward, researchers have estimated a decline in numbers of 51% from 1996 to 2019, mostly due to the reduction of wetland habitats. The population level of the Green Heron is hard to monitor because it tends to be more solitary than other heron species such as the Great Egret and the Great Blue Heron.