Of all the birds I like to watch, I find that herons have the most intense eyes.

I’m quite sure I would change my opinion to owls, but I don’t see enough of them to make an accurate assessment. Birds of prey, I’m sure, would be up there, too, but it’s tough to get a close enough

Herons are huge birds so it only makes sense that their eyes will be several times larger than the average bird’s.  view to really study their eyes.

Herons are huge birds so it only makes sense that their eyes will be several times larger than the average bird’s.  view to really study their eyes.

As it stands now, therefore, herons win the prize for best eyes.Also, most herons have skinny necks and heads which make the eyes stand out even more. The color of the eyes are the icing on the cake. Depending on the species, the eyes are either brilliant yellow or red with a big, black pupil in the middle.

The closest look I’ve ever gotten of a heron’s eyes was at Edward MacDowell Reservoir in Peterborough, N.H. That look was so close, in fact, that I couldn’t even concentrate on the eyes.

I settled the canoe in a stand of tall water plants, mostly pickerel weed, somewhat near the shore. A young Great Blue Heron was stalking the area and slowly making its way toward the spot where I had settled. It got closer and closer, almost to the point where it was brushing up against the canoe.

The heron’s eyes were a mere few feet away, but I didn’t even notice them. Since its eyes were so close, obviously, its bill was even closer. I couldn’t help but keep my eyes peeled on the sharp, massive bill. I had read of wildlife rehabilitators being gored trying to help herons in distress and I didn’t want to read about myself in the newspaper.

Obviously, a Great Blue Heron is not going to go out of its way to attack a human, or anything for that matter — unless it’s a fish or frog or something else the heron sees as a potential easy-to-swallow meal. But I didn’t want to startle it or have it feel otherwise threatened and take a stab at the intruder, in this case, me.

I love getting close-up views of the birds I seek out but that one landed in the too-close-for-comfort category.

Black-crowned Night Herons have some of the best eyes in the bird world and the species  usually allows a close approach for inspection. I’ve seen dozens of these stocky herons and the big, red eyes are always the first thing I notice. 

The eyes bug out somewhat, too, as evidenced by the accompanying photo of a black-crowned. Notice how the eye casts a long shadow down the side of the bird’s face.

Red eyes add a fascinating dimension to all birds who possess them, but the Black-crowned Night Heron really stands out. The big, red orbs are located among the whitish-gray face feathers and are surrounded by a dark bill and dark crown. They give the attractive bird a demonic appearance. 

I would say the same for the Yellow-crowned Night Heron, but to me anyway, that bird is so goofy looking that it can’t possibly look demonic. The yellow-crowned’s red eyes are definitely still cool-looking, but they’re overshadowed by the bird’s big head and scrawny, little neck. To me the Yellow-crowned Night Heron looks like a Black-crowned Night Heron that never recovered from a good neck wringing.

While the black-crowned and yellow-crowned are New England’s red-eyed herons, great blues and green herons sport engaging yellow peepers. 

During the breeding season, the Great Blue Heron has so many ornamental feathers and colors, that an observer barely even notices the eyes. However, during the summer, when the breeding plumage has been reduced to duller colors, the eyes are one of the most noticeable features. Along with the bill, of course.

I wrote two weeks ago that the heron family is one my favorites because the large birds remain with us throughout the summer and break up the monotony that often accompanies birdwatching during the hot, humid months.

Herons are fun to watch because of their size, shape, hunting methods and abundance. Closer inspection, though, reveals that their eyes — intensely yellow or red — are perhaps the most fascinating aspect of these magnificent birds.

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