Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea
The Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) is a common herons, egrets, and bittern found in 55 countries, weighing about 339 g. The little blue heron is a small heron of the genus Egretta.
About the Little Blue Heron
The little blue heron is a small heron of the genus Egretta. It is a small, darkly colored heron with a two-toned bill. Juveniles are entirely white, bearing resemblance to the snowy egret. During the breeding season, adults develop different coloration on the head, legs, and feet.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Males and females have the same coloration. The adults are darkly colored, with purple-maroon heads and blue bodies. During the breeding season, their heads turn dark red. They have two-toned bills, which are a light blue at the base, with black tips. Their eyes are yellow and their legs are greenish. Juveniles are almost completely white, although the upper primaries are somewhat dark in color. Like adults, their bills are two-toned. Immature birds transitioning from the juvenile to adult phase have a combination of light and dark feathers.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in South Africa, Portugal.
When to see it
The Little Blue Heron can be seen all year round, with peak activity in January. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Little Blue Heron?
- Males and females have the same coloration. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Little Blue Heron?
- The Little Blue Heron is a large sized bird weighing about 339 g.
- Where can you see a Little Blue Heron?
- The Little Blue Heron occurs in 55 countries, including the United States, Costa Rica, Mexico, Belize and Colombia.
- What birds look similar to a Little Blue Heron?
- The Little Blue Heron is most easily confused with the Tricolored Heron, the Little Egret and the White-faced Heron.
- Is the Little Blue Heron endangered?
- The Little Blue Heron is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Little Blue Heron for real
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