American Snowy Heron Audubon Unframed Print

American Snowy Heron by John James Audubon

• original plate number: 242
• original plate size: this is the size of the artwork as it was in its original format. The image on the unframed wall print that you receive will be as close to this original plate size as possible, but plates sizes are approximate.
• overall paper size: the size of the physical piece of paper that you will receive.

Image description as it appears in The Birds of America book by John James Audubon:

Ardea candidissima, Gmel. Plate CCXLII. Male.

At the approach of the breeding season, many spend a great part of the day at their roosting places, perched on the low trees principally growing in the water, when every now and then they utter a rough guttural sort of sigh, raising at the same moment their beautiful crest and loose recurved plumes, curving the neck, and rising on their legs to their full height, as if about to strut on the branches.

They act in the same manner while on the ground mating. Then the male, with great ardour, and with the most graceful motions, passes and repasses for several minutes at a time before and around the female, whose actions are similar, although she displays less ardour.

When disturbed on such occasions, they rise high in the air, sail about and over the spot in perfect silence, awaiting the departure of the intruder, then sweep along, exhibiting the most singular movements, now and then tumbling over and over like the Tumbler Pigeon, and at length alight on a tree.

On the contrary, when you intrude upon while breeding, they rise silently on wing, alight on the trees near, and remain there until you depart.