Mystery Bird: Juvenile Green Heron, Ardeola virescens

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[Mystery bird] Juvenile Green Heron, Ardeola virescens, photographed on a farm pond in central Kentucky. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]

Image: Mark Selter, 14 June 2009 (thanks to Roger Brown for sharing) [larger view].

Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.

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Family Guy, S07E02 'I Dream of Jesus': Peter: Brian, can I see that paper for a sec? (Brian gives Peter the paper. Peter peruses the paper.) Peter: Huh... that's odd... I thought that would big news.

Now, see, that is more what I typically see. I have no idea how your photographers get these wonderful shots of birds exposed. Anyway, it's a green heron. At least, that's what it looks like to me.

Oh, field marks. Body shape. Big orange & black bill. Yellow eye mask. Near water, where it fishes. And it's shy, obviously.

It's a juvenile, note the fuzz. My neighbors took this picture last Sunday, and saw it taken by a hawk on Monday. rb

I had thought juvi since bittern juvi's sometimes have redder beaks, but I looked at them in a couple of guides and didn't see that. But it makes sense.

What kind of hawk?

I'm not sure what kind of hawk, they didn't say. If I had to guess, it would be the Red-Shouldered. If they see this today, perhaps they can respond. rb

I talked to the people who took the picture today, the hawk that got the heron had a banded tail, likely a Red-shouldered. They also told me there are still two baby herons. Yay! rb