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Range (Jamaica and Cuba north)

Jamaica and Cuba north to the coasts of southern Florida, casually to Anclote River and Micco. Nest, a platform of sticks in colonies in mangrove bushes. Eggs, three to four, pale, dull blue, 2.50 x 1.80.

This is a common species on the coasts of southern Florida, particularly in the vicinity of Cape Sable. Rarely it is found as far north as the Anclote River on the west coast and Micco on the east coast. This bird is as large as the Great Blue Heron, and must not be confused with Ardea egretta, to which the name Great White Heron is frequently applied.

Ardea wuerdmanni Baird has been considered to be a color phase of this species, but its true standing is unknown. It is described by Coues as follows: "Head, with the crest, white, the forehead streaked with black edges of the feathers; under parts white, the sides streaked with black; lower plumes of neck white, mostly streaked with black edges of the feathers; neck purplish HERONS AND BITTERNS. gray, darker than in A. herodias, with a similar throat line of white, black, and rufous. Under wing-coverts streaked with white; rufous of edge of wing less extensive than in A. herodias, that of tibiæ paler. Tibiæ and soles of feet yellow; tarsi and top of toes yellowish green. Im. -Like young A. herodias; top of head dusky, the feathers with whitish shaft lines and bases. Lesser wing-coverts speckled with rusty, the under ones pure white" (Coues). "L., 48.00-50-00; W., 20.00-21.00; B., 5-95-6-50; Tar., 7.95-8-25" (Ridgw.). 193. Ardea wardi Ridgw. WARD'S HERON.---This is the Florida representative of A. herodias. It is believed by some ornithologists to be a distinct species, but in my opinion is a peninsular race. The average differences in color between it and A. herodias consist in its whiter lower parts, darker neck, and olive instead of black legs. These differences, however, can not always be relied upon, and size is the character by which the two birds can best be distinguished, wardi being the larger, as the following measurements show: L., 52.00; W., 19-75-20-50; B., 6·40-6.80; Tar., 8.00-8.50.