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Herons are among the more obvious and accessible of birds, and so, unlike many other species, they readily can be counted and monitored. We do this for two reasons: for the birds and for their environment. With the historical loss of wetlands throughout Europe, fewer and fewer locations have become more and more important to herons. By monitoring numbers and distribution of herons in these few special locations, such as the Camargue, we are able to assess how well the environment is supporting them and what might be done to improve their environmental situation. Also, since herons are top predators and depend on specific conditions of water, habitat, and prey, they are indicators of the quality of their environment. Many herons, in fact, thrive in environments that are human managed – such as rice fields, cane swamps, and impoundments. Thus numbers and trends of herons can tell managers how well they are doing in providing habitat for wildlife.
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