From Opus

Alternative name: Louisiana Heron

Egretta tricolor

Photo by mw_aurora
Photo taken: Sanibel Island, Florida.

[edit] Identification

56 cm. Blue-grey head, neck, back and upperwings, with a white line along the neck, white belly, long pointed yellowish or greyish bill with a black tip. The legs and feet are dark. In breeding plumage, they have long blue filamentous plumes on the head and neck, and buff ones on the back.

[edit] Distribution

Breeds on the east coast of North America from New Jersey to Florida and the Gulf Coast, and on both coasts of Mexico south to Panama. In South America breeds coastally south to northern Peru on the Pacific coast and the Amazon on the Atlantic coast. Also breeds on the Greater Antilles.

Northern birds are migratory and becomes more widespread on the Gulf Coast and throughout the West Indies. Post-breeding dispersal has taken birds north to New Brunswick and Ontario and a rare but regular visitor to southern California.

[edit] Taxonomy

Northern birds belonging to the race ruficollis are found as far south as Venezuela and Colombia, with the smaller nominate race found further south which also differs in having a chestnut rather than white foreneck stripe

[edit] Habitat

Mainly coastal, found in shallow lagoons and on tidal mudflats and estuaries, mangroves and commonly in freshwater swamps in Florida.

[edit] Behaviour

It stalks its prey in shallow or deeper water, often running as it does so. The diet includes fish, crustaceans, reptiles and insects.

Breeding in swamps, it nests in colonies, often with other herons, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. 3-7 eggs are laid.

[edit] External Links