1 May 2025

Green herons returned to southwestern Pennsylvania last month to hunt our waterways for fish and crustaceans. When life is calm for a green heron — which is most of the time — he keeps his head feathers sleeked.

But when he feels threatened or he wants to threaten someone else, he raises his head feathers, squawks or clucks, and often tail-flips before he rushes his opponent. The further out he stretches his neck, the more upset he is.

In this video you can see him tail-flipping.

Watch out when green herons have a bad hair day!