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Manatee County

Audubon Society

Tricolored Heron

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Name

Tricolored Heron

Scientific Name

(Egretta tricolor)

Why they are special:
  • A striking coastal heron, often seen actively hunting with a stalking, deliberate style.

  • Recognizable by its slender neck, slate-blue body, and reddish-brown neck and shoulders.
Size and color:
  • Medium heron, 24–26 inches long with a wingspan of 41–42 inches.

  • Slate-blue body, white belly, reddish-brown neck and shoulders, yellowish-green legs, and slender dark bill.

  • Breeding adults display long, delicate plumes on neck and back.
Seasonality in Florida:
  • Year-round resident, especially along Gulf Coast and mangrove-lined bays.
Habitat:
  • Salt marshes, tidal flats, estuaries, shallow lagoons, and mangroves.

  • Often forages in shallow water along the edges of mudflats or among mangrove roots.
Diet:
  • Feeds on small fish, crustaceans, and aquatic insects, caught by stalking and quick strikes.
Behavior:
  • Usually solitary while feeding; uses slow, deliberate steps and sudden thrusts to capture prey.

  • Nests in colonies with other herons and egrets, often in trees or shrubs over water.
Conservation notes:
  • Populations are stable, but sensitive to coastal development and wetland loss.
Best time to see:
  • Year-round, especially at low tide along shallow flats and estuaries.
Fun Fact:
  • Tricolored Herons are known as “shadow hunters”, using their long necks to strike swiftly while blending into shallow water shadows.
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