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Manatee County

Audubon Society

Little Blue Heron

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Name

Little Blue Heron

Scientific Name

(Egretta caerulea)

Why they are special:
  • A medium-sized, slate-blue heron, often seen stalking fish and crustaceans in shallow water.

  • Juveniles are all white, which can cause confusion with Snowy Egrets, but adults are unmistakable.
Size and color:
  • Medium heron, 24–27 inches long with a wingspan of 41–42 inches.

  • Adults: slate-blue body, dark bill with pale tip, greenish legs.

  • Juveniles: all white, gradually developing adult coloration over two years.
Seasonality in Florida:
  • Year-round resident, particularly along coastal flats, marshes, and estuaries.
Habitat:
  • Shallow tidal flats, salt marshes, estuaries, and mangroves.

  • Often seen alone, slowly stalking prey in shallow water.
Diet:
  • Feeds on small fish, shrimp, crabs, and aquatic insects, captured with deliberate strikes.
Behavior:
  • Typically solitary while foraging; adults are patient hunters, using slow, careful movements to ambush prey.

  • Nests in colonies with other egrets and herons, building stick nests in trees or shrubs.
Conservation notes:
  • Populations are stable, but habitat loss and wetland degradation are ongoing threats.
Best time to see:
  • Year-round, especially at low tide on shallow flats and estuarine edges.
Fun Fact:
  • Juvenile Little Blue Herons are all white, which may allow them to blend in with Snowy Egrets and sneak into feeding areas undetected.
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