Friday's Foto

This close relative of the Snowy Egret, the Little Blue Heron is a medium-sized heron with a purple-blue head and neck and slate-gray body. Immatures are white and looks very much like the Snowy. Read David Sibley’s piece on distinguishing immature Little Blue Herons from Snowy Egrets here.

Favoring freshwater habitats such as ponds, lakes, marshes, swamps, and lagoons, they can also be observed along marine coastlines. The Little Blue Heron can be found throughout much of the Americas, ranging from southern California and the south-eastern US south to Peru and Central Brazil. In New York City small numbers nest on Hoffman Island in Lower New York Bay and Elders Point East in Jamaica Bay.

Their conservation status via IUCN is Least Concern, although their populations has been slowly declining. In addition, it is listed on the 2016 State of North America's Birds' Watch List, which includes bird species that are most at risk of extinction without significant conservation actions to reverse declines and reduce threats.

The Little Blue Heron’s scientific name, Egretta caerulea, means small egret; azure-blue.