Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea (Linnaeus, 1758)S3B (State watchlist breeder)    Synonyms: LBHE.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Chordata   >   Class Aves   >   Order Pelecaniformes   >   Family Ardeidae   >   Genus Egretta   

Status:

Locally common in coastal plain ponds and wetlands from spring through fall migration. An annual visitor to the piedmont but rare west of the coastal plain. There are Little Blue Heron records for all Maryland counties.

Description:

Adult Little Blue Herons are distinctive. In Maryland they are the only medium size heron that is all dark blue/purple.

Where to find:

In the summer and fall look for Little Blue Herons during the morning heron flight at Bayside Point on Assateague Island.

Relationships:

Little Blue Herons will nest with other heron species in large communal rookeries.

There are 295 records in the project database.

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A Little Blue Heron in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/25/2015). Photo by Jon Corcoran. (MBP list)

A Little Blue Heron in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/1/2017). Photo by Andrew Clemens. (MBP list)

A Little Blue Heron in Somerset Co., Maryland (8/16/2016). Photo by Ben Springer. (MBP list)

A Little Blue Heron in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/7/2016). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

A Little Blue Heron in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/24/2018). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

A Little Blue Heron in Harford Co., Maryland (5/18/2018). Photo by Austin Jennings. (MBP list)

An adult Little Blue Heron in Worcester Co., Maryland (7/15/2007). (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

An immature Little Blue Heron in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/29/2019). Photo by Andrew Clemens. (MBP list)

Little Blue Heron in Worcester Co., Maryland (4/27/2013). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

An immature Little Blue Heron in Harford Co., Maryland (8/5/2014). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

Little Blue Heron in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/20/2013). (c) Frode Jacobsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Frode Jacobsen. (MBP list)

An adult Little Blue Heron in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/25/2015). Photo by Jon Corcoran. (MBP list)

A Little Blue Heron with prey in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/7/2016). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

An immature Little Blue Heron molting into its adult plumage in Worcester Co., Maryland (7/25/2020). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

A Little Blue Heron in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/7/2016). Photo by Matthew Addicks. (MBP list)

A Little Blue Heron in Worcester Co., Maryland (6/14/2012). Little Blue Herons are rare west of the coastal plain in Maryland. Photo by Matt Tillett. (MBP list)

Little Blue Herons lingering in Worcester Co., Maryland (11/10/2017). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

An immature Little Blue Heron in flight in Worcester Co., Maryland (11/10/2017). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Little Blue Heron in Maryland (8/4/2021). (c) david mlr, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by david_mlr via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Little Blue Heron in Howard Co., Maryland (8/13/2021). (c) Tim Frye, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Tim Frye via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

An adult Little Blue Heron nesting on Bodkin Island, Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (6/28/2000). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

A Little Blue Heron in eclipse plumage in Worcester Co., Maryland (7/15/2007). (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)


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