Great Egret - Approximately 32"
Plumage is white, bill yellow, legs and feet are glossy black Common along streams, ponds, salt and fresh water marshes and mud flats; Wading bird with long legs, neck and bill. Great Blue Heron - Largest North American heron and common on fresh as well as salt water. Head is largely white, under parts are dark. Yellowish bill. Stands about 4' tall. Short plumes on head project to rear. Is found in all wetlands environments.

Green-backed Heron - About 15"
Greenish-black crown feathers. Back and sides of adult's neck are chestnut. Legs are usually dull yellow. Generally solitary. Once called the Green Heron.

Black-crowned Night Heron - 23-26 "
Compared to other herons, these have short legs, short thick necks and heavy bodies. The adult has a black crown and back. White under parts.

Pied-billed Grebe - 12-15".
Mostly brown with blackish-brown crown feathers. Black ring around middle of short thick bill, in winter birds lose bill ring. Dives easily. Found throughout the U.S.

Double-crested Cormorant - 26" - 30"
Adults are iridescent green and purple above black. Bill is black with a throat patch yellow-orange. Highly adaptive - will use both marine and terrestrial habitats.

Mallard - 20" - 28"
Most abundant Northern Hemisphere Duck. Will flock in the thousands. Male has green head and neck which is separated from a dark brown chest by a narrow white ring. Female is mottled brown, lighter and less mottled on head and belly and is recognized by the blue patch(bordered in white) on the wing. Chiefly vegetarians.
Belted Kingfisher 12"

The Kingfishers are in the garden to fish and are the only small birds (other than Terns) to dive headlong from air into water. Both male and female have slate blue breast band. Can hover over water. Other N. American Kingfishers are in Rio Grande Valley.

Cliff Swallow - 5" -6"
Square tipped tail. Orange rump. Nests colonially. building jug like mud nests against vertical or overhanging structures. Winters in South America