Little blue heron

Description:

A slender medium sized heron with long dark legs. The adults are a bluish slate color with maroon-brown neck. The bill is pale bluish and tipped with black. Juveniles are all white with olive colored legs. Little blue herons nest in colonies and have light blue eggs. Their legs and feet become dark blue when breeding. Non-breeding adults have paler legs. They have a loud, nasal squawk in aggression or territorial defense.

Habitat:

Found in southeastern United States around freshwater and estuarine habitats,

Notes:

The Little Blue Heron stalks its prey in shallow water, often running as it does so. It eats fish, frogs, crustaceans, small rodents and insects. Young little blue herons which are still white often mingle with snowy egrets. The young birds will often catch more fish in the presence of the snowy egret and gain some protection by mixing with other white birds. Some researches thing the little blue heron may stay white for the first year of life to gain this added protection.