Wading Birds

  • Photo by David Rosen, Wildside Photography
    Photo by David Rosen, Wildside Photography
  • Photo by David Rosen, Wildside Photography
    Photo by David Rosen, Wildside Photography
  • Photo by David Rosen, Wildside Photography
    Photo by David Rosen, Wildside Photography

Great Egret

common name: Great Egret
scientific name: Casmerodius albus
phylum: Chordata
class: Aves
order: Ciconiiformes
family: Ardeidae
habitat: wetlands, ponds, shorelines, and wet fields
size: 0.9 to 1.0 meters tall

Great Blue Heron

common name: Great Blue Heron
scientific name: Ardea herodias
phylum: Chordata
class: Aves
order: Ciconiiformes
family: Ardeidae
habitat: vernal pools, rivers and lakes
size: 1.0 to 1.4 meters tall
Sacramento Splash - Helping children understand and value their natural world picture
What's in a name?

For Splash students, a "Tadpole Shrimp" is an endangered species that lives in vernal pools. For rice farmers, a "Tadpole Shrimp" is a common pest that destroys their rice fields. A rice farmer would think you were crazy wanting to save "Tadpole Shrimp" from extinction!

With scientific names, there's no room for confusion: the rice pest is Triops longicaudatus and the endangered species is Lepidurus packardi. Even a scientists who speak different languages can understand one another when they all use the Latin name!

Sacramento Splash - Helping children understand and value their natural world picture
Science can be FUN!

100% of Splash teachers agree that their field trip to the vernal pools was both fun AND educational for their students.

If you're a fourth or fifth grade teacher, we can help make science fun for your students.