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Tricolored Heron

Tricolored Heron
Tricolored Heron
Here this “Tri” feeds in the marsh acting very much like it’s cousin the Reddish Egret. USGS says “Once called the Louisiana heron, Egretta tricolor is 63-76 cm in length. Males have an approximate mass of 415 grams and females 334 grams (Dunning, 1993). Its gray-blue plumage is offset by a conspicuous white belly and a white stripe that runs from the chin down the neck (Bull and Farrand, 1977; Hancock and Kushlan, 1984). During the non-breeding season the bill is yellow with a black tip, and the legs are yellow. When breeding, the bill turns bright blue (though the tip remains black) and the legs are bright pink (Hancock and Kushlan, 1984).

This species typically breeds in colonies with other heron species and is generally found in brackish and salt water coastal areas, marshes, swamps, and mud flats (Bull and Farrand, 1977). Nests are close to or on the ground, preferably where tides are low (Hancock and Kushlan, 1984; Custer and Osborn, 1978). Typical clutch size is 3 or 4 pale bluish green eggs. Young are altricial (Ehrlich et al., 1988). The maximum age of a tricoloed heron recorded in nature 17 years.”

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