Little Blue Heron

Little Blue Heron, adult

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Little Blue Heron, juvenile

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Conservation Status
4. Other Names
5. Cool Facts
6. Full detailed species account

A smallish heron of the southeastern United States, the Little Blue Heron breeds in various freshwater and estuarine habitats. It is the only heron species in which first-year birds and adults show dramatically different coloration: first-year birds are pure white, while adults are blue.

Description

• Medium-sized, slender heron.
• All dark.
• Long neck, bill, and legs.
• Bill dark.

• Size: 56-74 cm (22-29 in)
• Wingspan: 100-105 cm (39-41 in)
• Weight: 296-412 g (10.45-14.54 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes similar; female slightly smaller.

Sound

A loud, nasal squawk in aggression or territorial defense.

Conservation Status

Declining in much of its range in the United States. Because it does not bear long showy plumes in breeding adult plumage, the Little Blue Heron largely escaped serious population declines from feather hunting for the millinery trade. Habitat loss and human-caused changes in local water dynamics are the most serious threats.

Other Names

Petit héron bleu, Aigrette bleue, Crabier bleu (French)
Garza azul, Garceta azul (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• The Snowy Egret tolerates the close proximity of white Little Blue Herons more than that of dark Little Blue Herons. A white Little Blue Heron catches more fish in the company of Snowy Egrets than when alone. This relationship may be one reason why young Little Blue Herons stay white for a year.
• Another advantage of white plumage is that young Little Blue Herons are more readily able to integrate into mixed-species flocks of white herons, thus gaining a measure of protection against predators.

Sources used to construct this page:

Rodgers, J. A., Jr., and H. T. Smith. 1995. Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea). In The Birds of North America, No. 145 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C.