Page 24 - Animals of the Sakhalin Region in myths and legends

Egret little

(Egretta garzetta)

Body length is 55–65 cm, wingspan is 90–
105 cm, weight is up to 500–600 g. Plumage is
pure white, beak and legs are black, fingers are
yellow. In nuptial plumage on the back of the
head there is a long «forelock» of 2 lanceolate
feathers. It differs from great egret in significantly
smaller size, black beak in all seasons, yellow
toes in adult birds. The voice of these herons is completely different: the big white one has a
hoarse crackling, the small one has a «croak».
Food items — fish, amphibians, crustaceans, insects.
In the Sakhalin Region, it occurs during periods of seasonal migrations and summer
migrations. On island Sakhalin herons were recorded at Slepikovsky Cape, in the Salmon
Bay. Aniva and in the vicinity of the village of Udarnoye, Uglegorsk district, as well as in the
vicinity of Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky. On the Kuril Islands — on island Kunashir and on
island Paramushir. General distribution - Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia.

The heron burst into tears of shame and returned home. The Heron left, and the
Crane thought: «It was in vain that I did not take the Heron for myself! After all, it’s
boring here all alone».
Comes and says:

— Heron! I decided to marry you, come with me!
— No, Crane, I will not marry you!
Crane went home. Here the Heron lost her thoughts:
«Why did you refuse? I’d better go for the Crane».
She comes to him, but Crane does not want to. This is how they go to this day to
get married to one another, but they never get married.

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