Feb. 20, 2011 - Tri-colored Herons

It’s hard to believe these two photos show the same species. When a Tri-colored Heron stretches out to its full 26” length, as in the right photo, it looks tall and skinny. But when it hunkers down, you have to wonder where that long neck went. All of these photos were taken at Ding Darling NWR on Sanibel Island near Fort Meyers, Florida.

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This heron was standing quietly in the early morning light near some mangroves. In the United States, they are found along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts. They prefer swamps, marshes, shallow estuaries, and coastal bays.

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Tri-colored Herons have a white body and a definite white/blue pattern on the underside of the wings.

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Note the rusty-colored feathers on the back. Rusty, blue, and white are the three colors that give this heron its name.

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Tri-colored Herons feed in deeper water than some of the other heron species. This one is almost up to its belly. They eat mainly small fish but will also take crayfish, insects, and frogs. They stand quietly and wait for prey to approach them. Sometimes they stir up the bottom to see what can be found.

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Here is a heron striking at something in the water. I was fortunate to press the shutter button at just the right moment. This picture was taken at 1/4000 of a second.

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