HERON & EGRET BEHAVIOR

BEHAVIOR DESCRIPTION SIGNIFICANCE

Stretch Lifts head and closes bill Typical courtship to vertical (GBHE may howl accentuates plumes: often at peak). The head is then as part of greeting ceremony. brought down with lateral swaying and bent legs.

Snap Moves head forward and Typical display used in diff‐ down, neck extended, then erent contexts, usually not snaps bill shut, usually directed to anyone: General with legs bent. May be advertisement. done in conjunction with Stretch.

Twig Shake Slowly extends neck, grasps General advertisement. twig with bill and shakes. Resembles nest building behavior.

Arched Neck Erect neck feathers and Usually used by moving heron head plumes, curves neck as threat display. with bill downward.

Upright Neck Bill up, neck extended. Antagonistic or threat display.

Crest Raising Erect head plumes. Common threat display.

Forward Lifts wings, retracts head Antagonistic or territorial and rocks forward, stabbing display, sometimes used by toward another . Rapid young chicks in nest. tail‐flicking in egrets.

Circle Flights Flies in large circle with Used in identification and neck extended, returning appeasement. to original perch.

Landing Calls Given when landing on nest, Recognition, pair‐bonding. as part of Greeting Ceremony.

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HERON & EGRET COURTSHIP BEHAVIOR

BEHAVIOR DESCRIPTION SIGNIFICANCE

Supplanting Aerial display; flies at Aggressive display, may end other perched bird and in fight. lands on its vacated perch.

Bill Duels By newly paired , male Strengthens pair‐bonding. stabs at relatively sub‐ missive female. Eventually decreases intensity as toler‐ ance develops. Female may hold the male’s bill.

Bill Clappering Rapid chattering of bill Maintains close, un‐aggressive with or without contact contact with mate. with other bird.

Wing Preen Moves bill along primaries Pair‐bonding, un‐aggressive as if , but does close contact. not touch feathers. Orients towards male.

Greeting General term for behaviors Recognition, strengthens pair Ceremonies when bird returns to nest bond. and mate. May include Landing call, Stretch and Bill Clappering.

These behaviors generally occur in specific stages:

 Unpaired males do Snap and Stretch displays (general advertisements), along with aggressive behaviors (Supplanting, Arched and Upright Neck).  When a potential mate arrives, displays change to Wing Preen, Bill Clappering, and Stretch.  The intial paired stage includes Bill Duels and more Bill Clappering.  Once the pair‐bond is established, Greeting Ceremonies occur such as Landing Call, Stretch and Bill Clappering.  Greeting Ceremonies continue through incubation and parental stages.