On the Mississippi River, when I was doing gigs there it was said by some that blue herons are in fact reincarnated steamboat captains. They fly in front of the boats to guide 'em to the deep water and away from the snags, sawyers and shallows.

And Jeri, they truly do fart. The sound of that is very much like the normal sound they make with their vocal apparatuses---not very pleasant at all.

Art Thieme