Dominant Salt Marsh Organisms

Birds

Ardea herodias (great blue heron).  The great blue heron is a large tall bird that is grey in color.  It is almost four feet tall and has a wingspan over six feet.  The heron feeds on fish in the marsh but also eats a wide range of other animals.

Egretta thula (snowy egret).  A white heron with black legs and yellow feet. It stands about two feet tall. 

Casmerodius albus (common or great egret).  A large white heron with black legs and feet.

Cygnus olor (mute swan).  A large (to four feet tall) white bird with a distinctive orange and black bill.  These are introduced birds that are increasing in number.  They feed on submerged vegetation.

Anas platyrhynchos (mallard duck).  Male mallard ducks are colorful with green heads during the breeding season.  At some times of the year, following molting, the males are brown and resemble the females.   Another species, black ducks (Anas rubripes), look like female mallards and are common in marshes.  They interbreed and hybridize freely with mallards.

Pandion haliaetus (osprey, fish hawk).  Ospreys hover above the water and then dive to catch fish.  They are medium to large sized hawks and are darker above and lighter below.

Larus argentatus (herring gull).  This is the most common gull in our area. It has a grey back and wings and the wings have black tips.  The bill is bright yellow.