Green Heron among air plants
Butorides virescens
Green Heron · Everglades National Park · 6 February 2026
A Green Heron hunched among the air plants on a mangrove branch in the Everglades, the compact silhouette and short legs of a bird that hunts from cover at the water's edge. Green Herons live on wooded ponds and mangrove creeks across the eastern United States and the tropics, and they nest in the mangroves here.
One of a small number of bird species documented using tools: Green Herons will drop a feather, an insect, or a bit of bread onto the water's surface as bait and seize the small fish that come to investigate. The plants around it are epiphytic bromeliads, air plants that root on bark rather than soil and draw what they need from rain and airborne debris, no more parasitic on the branch than a bird's nest would be.
Birds, insects, plants and other wildlife, mostly from Brooklyn, with some from further afield.
Every photograph comes with notes on what it is.
Selected
Favourite shots. Filter by subject, or .
Places
Everything, by where it was taken.
Species
Larger catalogue of photos organized by species of animal or plant.
Catalogue
Every photograph, newest first. Narrow it by period, place or species; the three work together.
Updates
Coming soon. Sign up at the bottom of the page for updates.