General Description: Little Blue Herons (Egretta caerulea) are medium-sized egrets that occur in two morphs: dark and all white. In both morphs, the bill is distinctly two-toned (bluish with a black tip), and the legs are pale or yellowish. The feeding style is slow and deliberate.
In the adult dark morph, Little Blue Herons are blue-gray overall, including the belly, although the head and neck may show a bit of purple or reddish. In the juvenile light morph, they are all white, except for the two-toned bill and the legs are yellowish.
Compare with Reddish Egrets, which can have a similar adult color pattern. However, Reddish Egrets show a quite shaggy appearance, and the base of the two-toned bill is pink.
Taxonomy: Pelecaniformes, Ardeidae. |