This big crawfish eating bird? ?

A Sandhill crane?

Florida's Sandhill Crane.

Digging for grubs and such in my front yard!

I was going to guess a sandhillcrane also but the legs don't seem long enough.

No definitely not a sandhill crane I looked at those first. The face of this bird where it's red is not feathers. I will find a picture of a muscovy duck to show what I mean.

Muscovy duck

Thegrass back there wwhere it is standing is tall it's marshy there from the water and can't be mowed yet. So it's legs are longer than it appears but I agree not long enough for the sandhill.

Turkey Vulture?

Turkey vultures (and black vultures) rarely just stand around. They spend most of their time soaring, looking for prey and just goofing off. Once they discover something (generally already dead - they are too clumsy to grab prey as a hawk might), they gorge themselves and go back up.

Short legs on a vulture. Not what Raven has.

The body doesn't look stocky enough for it but it kind of reminds me on the common gallinule.

I think maybe a Common Moorhen (or Common Gallinule according to All About Birds). It has a red mask during breeding periods.

Ha! Texas Gem and I posted the same thing at the same time! :)

no that doesn't look right either.

How about a Reddish Egret?

I agree with Texas Gem & Dees.

Reddish egret does eat things like crawfish.

Reddish Egret reference

The shape and stature of the reddish egret is very similar to the bird. I wish I could get a better picture of the head of the bird. The Gallinule is more squatty not elongated I think. We have lots of vultures around here eating road kill definitely not a vulture, those are some creepy looking birds!

OK after much discussion with my husband who has been close to the bird and startled it I have to admit I was apparently wrong. There is red feathers on the head and the mowhawk thing that pops up from time to time is not bright red. He said the pictures of this reddish egret is very similar except for those very red feathers. So forgive me for introducing the muscovy duck into the equation lol. The sandcrane is much bigger in size, the egret is very similar, the Gallinule is not the right shape. Do we have a bird forum?

Yup....on the nature forums. There is a bird watching forum that is pretty active.

I think the first responds may be correct. To me, the bird looks more like a sandhill crane rather than the reddish egret.

this bird here has a very similar shape, size and stature. If this bird had red where the white stripes are it could be it but it doesn't lol

Yellow_crowned

This is a very slim slender bird much smaller than the sandhill.

The body shape is wrong for a moorhen or gallinule. It could be a green heron except for the red feathers on the head. A better photo would help, but I suppose that will be difficult to get. An adult green heron has a neck that long, but the immature ones have necks that are much shorter. Immature green herons are speckled brown in color.

Considering your later information, maybe a Little Blue Heron?

raven - google tri-colored heron and see if you can find pics of young ones. I'm almost positive it is my enemy, the pond-destroying heron.

Looking at gyr falcon's photo, I have never seen a blue heron with a purple head around here, but if they can have a purple head then surely they could have a red one? Hate to give 'em credit, but that bird in the photo is a beauty! :)

Also, after thinking about it, green herons sometimes have a reddish brown throat and chest so maybe the young could have a red head? But maybe green herons are smaller than yours.

the second photo, though blurry, is a tri-colored heron.

Got interested in trying to figure it out but have to get ready for bed. Early morning for me.

We may have 2 different ones or possibly a male and female. My husband got some good pictures today. And the one he saw today is most definitely a yellow_crowned night Heron. It has the white stripes at the side of the head and the mowhawk Crest thing is white. Looks exactly like this. So I wonder if a male might have red, males are usually showy! Or we have 2 different ones. And it specifically said they eat crustaceans, are called crab eaters in some areas. So one is identified. I just don't know about the red head!

I

There's a good chance that the two are a mating pair. I hope so! Just keep them in TX! lol My pond remains fishless for a couple more years then I will give it a try again after the culprits die or have forgotten an easy meal.

Isn't the shading of its wings so beautiful?

I had birds come to my birdbath years ago and I took a picture and asked what they were on the bird forum. They knew right away. You might try that forum too.

My next door neighbor has a fish pond off her back porch. She has lost several fish this year. First it was a huge owl she caught in the act. She strung up a maze of clear fishing line above the pond which got rid of the owl. Next was a huge water moccasin snake that she saw going in the pond. Her husband managed to kill the snake. Her dog was bites on the face by a copperhead. I guess I should mention the big birds to her. I don't think they have been in her yard though the dogs are probably keeping them away.

I did cross post on the bird forum. I didn't know we had a bird forum till now.

The male yellow-crowned night heron may have a bit of rufous shading on the head during breeding season but not enough to make it bright red. They're called yellow-crowned for a reason. I thought the shape was correct but ruled that bird out because of the red. If you get a better picture of the male, I can identify it.

Have you tried looking at All About Birds web site to try to narrow it down? It's a great site and is my go to when searching for shape....that's where I started with your first picture.

Yes! They even have recordings of their sounds. I was just playing the one for this bird and my dog was running around looking for the creature making that noise lol. Very informative site. My husband has become intrigued by the birds so he is determined. He got several of the one today that are quite good. I will get his phone so I can post it.

I love a good identification mystery! Can't wait to see the pictures.

Yes, Raven, you should tell your neighbor before she loses all her fish and plants. We took numerous steps trying to keep the herons out but were unsuccessful. I don't want to have to completely cover the pond to keep the birds out because that takes away from the enjoyment of it. I do miss my fish and was quite attached to them. The guilt...... Honestly, now thinking about it, I don't think I will do fish again. It was a horrific sight finding the bigger ones torn to shreds.

OK here's the picture my husband took this morning.

Yellow Crowned Night Heron...as suggested above.

tj

That's your yellow crowned night heron, so pretty. Males and females look alike. We see and hear them here in Huntsville AL. Nesting sites are marked by the residue of shells, claws, and bones on the ground under the trees.

They apparently nest and roost in small colonies. There is a copse of pine trees on the UAH campus that houses a small group of these birds.

No red on the YCNH.

Have you seen the yellow-crowned night heron next to the other bird? If so, could you tell us if they are about the same size, or is the unnamed one is taller, and by approximately how much? Size can really help narrow down id.

The other one is a little bit bigger and taller but they have the same shape and stance. We have never seen 2 at the same time we thought there was only one bird. The only reason we guess there's 2 is because of the red that can be seen on or around the face and head in the picture of the first bird we photographed. And I wonder if possibly it's some kind of scar tissue where it got hurt.

I think I have the answer. Perhaps, there is only one bird, a yellow crowned night heron, but on sunny days she sometimes wears a lovely hat. :-)

Teehee, Bob!

Raven, how about the Lesser Sandhill Crane? Read the attached link.

http://switchzoo.com/profiles/lessersandhillcrane.htm