ID Keys: Dark bluish-gray overall, gray bill with black tip. Immatures have all-white plumage.
A smaller heron that is normally found in the southeastern
United States. Little Blue Herons can sometimes be quite wary and difficult
to approach as they wade in shallow marshes and sloughs, but in parts of their
range where they are habituated to a human presence, such as along popular
trails in the Everglades, they can be very approachable. Immature
birds have an all-white plumage and can be very similar in appearance to Snowy
Egrets (see photos at bottom of page for examples of juvenile plumage for
the Little Blue Heron). Mature birds are dark bluish gray overall, as
in the photo to the right. Little Blue Herons have been expanding their range to the
north in recent decades, and are becoming more commonly seen in the upper Great
Plains.
Habitat
The Little Blue Heron inhabits shallow freshwater and coastal wetlands including marshes, ponds, swamps, mudflats, estuaries, and mangrove edges. It prefers quiet shallow waters with abundant small fish and aquatic prey, often feeding along vegetated wetland margins.
Diet
Mostly fish and
crustaceans, also frogs, tadpoles, insects, snakes, lizards, and small rodents.
Behavior
Stands still or walks slowly through the
shallows, searching for prey, and grabbing it with a thrust of the neck and
head when prey is spotted. They will also feed on shore, and
occasionally in grassy meadows or other upland habitat.
Nesting
Rare breeder in South Dakota. Little
Blue Herons are colonial nesters. The nest is a platform of sticks, placed
in a tree or large shrub, sometimes quite high off the ground. The female
usually lays between 3 and 5 eggs, and both parents help to incubate them.
When the eggs hatch, both parents help feed the young. The young begin to
fledge after 4 weeks, and leave the care of the parents 2 or 3 weeks after
fledging.
Song
The Little Blue Heron gives low, harsh croaks and guttural “quawk” calls, especially in flight or around nesting colonies. It is usually quiet while feeding but becomes more vocal during courtship, territorial disputes, and interactions at rookeries.
Migration
Summers in the Southeastern U.S., and in scattered locations elsewhere in the
U.S. Winters along Gulf Coast, Florida, Mexico, Central America, and South
America.
The Little Blue Heron is generally considered a species of low conservation concern, although some regional populations have experienced declines from wetland loss and habitat degradation. Protection of marshes, coastal wetlands, and nesting colonies has helped many populations remain stable across much of the species’ range. The IUCN considers the Little Blue Heron to be a species of "Least Concern".
Photo Information
December 10th, 2012 - Everglades
National Park in Florida - Terry Sohl
