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Balancing beauty and burden with the birds in our midst.
Having a heron or egret roost in the neighborhood is a gift: an opportunity to witness the magic of nesting, the nurturing of chicks, and the sight of silhouetted wings against golden skies as these birds fly off to wetlands in search of food.
But not everyone sees it that way. For some, the birds are nothing but trouble — droppings splattered on patios and cars, raucous calls disturbing the peace, and fallen branches cluttering their yards.
One disgruntled neighbor, unhappy with the birds roosting above their driveway, decided to lop off every branch of a Torrey Pine that overhung their property line. Stripped of shelter, the birds abandoned the tree. Soon after, a neighborhood eucalyptus was felled and chipped and another roost was gone.
Then a mature pepper tree — once a daily gathering spot for Black-crowned Night Herons and, in fall, a Yellow-crowned Night Heron with its juveniles — was dramatically cut back. I often chose my walks just to pass by that tree, always looking up for the herons and delighted when they were there. However, once the canopy was trimmed, the herons stopped coming back. Ever since, I harbored a grudge each time I walked by, convinced that the neighbors had deliberately driven the herons away. But I was mistaken.
Last month, I learned what really happened from another neighbor, one who welcomed the herons after they moved down the road to roost in her yard. She told me that the pepper tree’s owner, too, regretted their loss, and she introduced me to the homeowner who had tended the tree for decades.
The pepper tree's owner told me, “The birds have been here since the 1980s. We just coexisted. It was so lovely. From my third-floor study, I could look them in the eye.”
She went on to describe how, when she and her husband rebuilt their home in the 1990s, they even shifted the driveway to save the tree. Years later, when the limbs grew too tall and weak, she reluctantly pruned them back to keep the tree alive. She expected the herons to return once the work was done, but the change was drastic. The herons never did, and she lamented their absence: “Something vital was missing. Something that made this neighborhood whole.”
Her story made clear that not every lost roost is the result of indifference or ill will. It also revealed how coexistence with wildlife is rarely straightforward; it calls on us to look deeper, listen with empathy, and weigh the full context before choosing a path forward.
Roosting Benefits
Dependable roosts are essential for herons and egrets, particularly in developed neighborhoods where human expansion has encroached on their natural habitat, leaving safe havens increasingly scarce. Year after year, these birds use the same tall canopies, seeking protection from predators and storms, while ensuring quick access to the wetlands where they feed. If these vital sites are lost, the alternatives may be limited.
When roosts are destroyed, suitable sites nearby may be scarce, and the birds scatter. Some may find refuge in another wetland, but others are pushed into less desirable locations, such as roadside trees or isolated bits of canopy, where survival is far more precarious. Rebuilding a roost can take years, and only if enough habitat remains.
But why should we care about their fate?
Herons and egrets shape more than the treetops they inhabit. Their varied diet — comprising fish, amphibians, reptiles, and insects — helps keep populations in check and supports wetland health. When they vanish, it's often a sign of trouble ahead.
Dependable roosts are essential for herons and egrets, particularly in developed neighborhoods where human expansion has encroached on their natural habitat, leaving safe havens increasingly scarce.
Roosts touch our lives, too. Beyond their presence, they offer daily opportunities to pause and connect with nature — moments that have been proven to lower stress and enhance our well-being. They remind us that we're part of something larger, and that the story of these birds and their trees is bound up with our own.
When Roosts Feel Overwhelming
Living alongside the noise and mess that come with the roosts of large birds can be challenging. Sometimes, it may feel impossible to coexist with these birds, and the urge to drive them away can become overwhelming. At times, frustration has even led to illegal actions that harm birds or disturb active nests, which is a serious violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which offers these birds strong protections.
However, the hard truth is that destroying a roost doesn't merely eliminate a nuisance; it also erases the benefits these birds bring to the neighborhood. Once a roost is gone, it is unlikely to return.
But for those who feel compelled to discourage roosting birds, there are ways to do it responsibly:
- Act early. Before birds begin nesting, trim lightly or cover favored branches so they seek another location.
- Stay legal. Once eggs are laid, nests are federally protected. Disturbing them risks fines and harm to the birds.
- Weigh the cost. Displacing a roost means losing daily encounters with wildness, as well as the ecological benefits that herons and egrets bring.
- Consider deterrents and alternatives. Many frustrations — droppings, fallen branches, noise — can be managed with practical fixes (car covers, patio shades, routine cleanups) without driving the birds away, but if all else fails there are responsible deterrents.
Roosts offer daily opportunities to pause and connect with nature — moments that have been proven to lower stress and enhance our well-being. They remind us that we're part of something larger, and that the story of these birds and their trees is bound up with our own.
Pruning Trees
Striking the balance comes down to how we prune — tending trees in ways that also safeguard the lives that depend on them. When that moment arrives, the next steps are crucial. A responsible approach involves working with certified arborists who can carefully thin trees to ease concerns, but not so much that roosts are lost.
Practical steps for balancing tree care and bird care:
- Time it right. Avoid pruning when nests are active. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act makes it illegal to disturb eggs or chicks.
- Hire wisely. Choose a certified arborist (credentialed by the International Society of Arboriculture) who understands wildlife sensitivity and can thin without destroying whole canopies. Find a certified arborist.
- Leave shelter. Trim selectively, keeping enough canopy for shade and protection.
- Think long-term. Roosts are reused year after year. A tree that's cut too drastically may never host birds again.
My conversation with the neighbor about her pepper tree and her relationship with the herons reminded me that living with nature — and with one another — requires humility and a willingness to listen and learn before leaping to judgment. In the end, coexistence asks us to find a balance between beauty and burden — making space for the neighbors who live beneath these roosts and the sometimes exasperating, yet always extraordinary, birds that share our home.
Turning Inconvenience Into Identity
In Rockport, Texas, herons displaced from other sites found refuge in a grove of ancient live oaks. Rather than viewing the colony as a nuisance, the city took action. In 2016, Rockport purchased the Bent Oaks property to the tune of almost $3 million to safeguard both the trees and the rookery.
Today, the site is managed as a sanctuary to protect nesting birds. The colony strengthens nearby coastal wetlands — and has become a point of pride for the community.
Visitors gather to watch the spectacle of an active heronry, and local shops sell T-shirts with the rookery's logo. Rockport's choice demonstrates how protecting roosts can enrich both wildlife and people, transforming a challenge into a community identity.
