24 inches long with a 40 inch wingspan. The Little Blue Heron is a medium-sized, long legged, and long necked wader. Its legs and feet are dull green. The base of the bill is blue. The body is slate-blue with a dark purple head and neck. The head and neck become much more vivid during breeding plumage and the legs and feet become black. The juvenile can be confusing since it has a white body. However, note the dull yellow legs and feet and the gray bill with a black tip.
The Little Blue Heron is generally south of the area but occasionally disperses to our area in the spring and during post breeding.
The Little Blue Heron is generally found in the southeastern United States. It breeds in various freshwater and estuarine habitats. It is the only heron species in which first-year birds and adults show dramatically different coloration.
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