ST. LOUIS — They're elegant birds you simply can't miss standing on the edge of our rivers and lakes.
But now, blue herons, night herons and two kinds of egrets have decided to call St. Louis home in an unexpected place.
"We found it was very unusual, it's the first rookery we found in the city," said Pat Lueders of the St. Louis Audubon Society.
This rookery, or colony of breeding birds, is in the middle of the Central West End just off Grand Avenue. Believe it or not an urban setting is safer for these birds.
"Cause there is less predators for them to eat their eggs and their chicks," Lueders said.
They are also protected by the national migratory bird act.
"They almost where extinct because they were hunted for plumes for womens hats in the early 1900s," Lueders said.
But they survived, and have, in fact, thrived.
This rookery started up just last year and had several hundred birds at its peak.
"There is 28 species of egrets and herons living in the united states. So we have four of the species nesting right here," Lueders said.
There are a few drawbacks to having them in the backyard. They’re loud and can leave their mark.
"They can be messy," Lueders said.
But only for a few more weeks
"Middle of August they will be gone,” Lueders said. “They will disperse to all over the state. Then they migrate to the southern part of the United States and into Mexico."
Each pair will lay between two and five eggs. Unfortunately, 75% of the fledglings will not make it to their first birthday.
So it's a great opportunity to check out these elegant birds before they leave.
"You can come out and watch their behavior. Both parents sit on the nest. Both parents feed the fledglings," Lueders said.
An unexpected treat for birdwatchers. Blue herons, night herons and two kinds of egrets in their natural habitat, right in the heart of our city.
