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Little Blue Heron

Egretta caerulea

Summary 4

The Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) is a small heron. It breeds from the Gulf states of the USA, through Central America and the Caribbean south to Peru and Uruguay. It is a resident breeder in most of its range, but some northern breeders migrate to the southeastern USA or beyond in winter. There is post-breeding dispersal to well north of the nesting range, as far as the Canada–United States border.

Egretta caerulea 5

A medium-sized (24 inches) wader, the Little Blue Heron is most easily identified by its size, blue body, purplish neck, and gray bill tipped with black. Other field marks include dull yellow-green legs, dark eyes, and (unlike most herons) a lack of ornamental breeding plumes during the breeding season. Immature birds are all white, but may be separated from other white herons and egrets by their yellow legs and gray bill. Male and female Little Blue Herons are similar to one another in all seasons. The Little Blue Heron breeds in the southeastern United States and along the Atlantic Coast of the U.S.north to Maine. Birds breeding in the interior spend the winter from southern California south to Panama. Coastal populations south of New Jersey, as well as those in the West Indies, are non-migratory. Little Blue Herons breed in colonies along shallow bodies of water, including marshes, lakes, and estuaries. Nests are usually built in the branches of trees above the water. Wintering birds generally utilize similar habitats as in summer. Little Blue Herons primarily eat small fish. Little Blue Herons may be best observed wading in shallow water, where they may be seen plunging their bills into the water to catch fish. It is also possible to see Little Blue Herons at their rookeries, especially when they return to roost at sunset, or while flying with their feet extended and their necks pulled in. Little Blue Herons are primarily active during the day.

Threat Status: Least concern

Statut 6

Status : VO, He(1)

Date d'arrivée record: 12/04/1980 (Baie-Sainte-Catherine)
Date de départ record: 9/11/2001 (Saint-Mathias) QO 13(4):42

Il est à noter que la liste des mentions ci-dessous peut inclure certaines mentions non-confirmées ou considérées comme invalides après leur publication. Cette liste est fournie à titre d'information uniquement, et elle est principalement mise à jour grâce aux mentions publiées dans la chronique saisonnière de la revue QuébecOiseaux. Certaines mentions récentes, identifiées avec la référence "web", réfèrent souvent à des mentions publiées sur la page des oiseaux rares du Québec.

Cherchez les mentions d'Aigrette bleue sur la page des oiseaux rares du Québec.

No Localité Dates Référence

  1. Kamouraska (aux environs de) 10/1881 Dionne (1906)
  2. Îles Pèlerin < 1916 NC 43:2-8
  3. Baie de Moisie 01/08/1928
  4. Saint-Lambert 10-24/09/1960
  5. Beauharnois 8-26/07/1970
  6. Sept-Îles 02/09/1970
  7. Île Dupas 2-9/08/1974
  8. Rigaud 21-28/05/1977
  9. Barachois 03/06/1978
  10. Cap-Tourmente 21/05/1979
  11. Îles Sainte-Marie 04/06/1979
  12. Rimouski 5-9/06/1979
  13. Charny 17/08/1979
  14. Baie-Sainte-Catherine 12/04/1980
  15. Bassin-aux-Huîtres 18-22/05/1980
  16. Hudson 24-27/05/1980
  17. Katevale 12/08/1980
  18. Baie Noire 18/05/1981
  19. Trois-Pistoles 7-8/06/1981
  20. La Visitation 24/04/1982
  21. Louiseville 26/04/1982
  22. Saint-Michel-de-Squatec 18-21/05/1982
  23. Lachute 10/07/1982
  24. Cacouna 29/05/1983
  25. Mont-Louis 12-14/06/1983
  26. Havre-aux-Basques 14-19/06/1983
  27. Bassin-aux-Huîtres 04/08/1983
  28. Étang de la Martinique 2-3/09/1983
  29. Anticosti ?/06-?/07/1984
  30. Milby 18/08/1984
  31. Huntingville 19/08/1984
  32. Île des Soeurs 24/04/1985
  33. Île du Moine 14/06/1986
  34. Grosse Île 27/06/1986
  35. Lyster 27/07/1986
  36. Rimouski 3-10/06/1987
  37. Cacouna 14-15/05/1988
  38. Rimouski 28/05/1988
  39. Rivière-du-Loup 02/08/1988
  40. Cacouna 02/08/1988
  41. Shawinigan 19/05/1989
  42. Pointe-au-Père 23/05/1989
  43. Cacouna 02/06/1989
  44. Baie-du-Fèbvre 20/06/1989
  45. Étang-du-Nord 29/06-14/07/1989
  46. Georgeville 27/05/1990
  47. Sainte-Foy 29/04/1991
  48. Portneuf 24/05/1992
  49. Granby 07/08/1992
  50. Mercier 20-23/09/1992
  51. Saint-Augustin-de-Porneuf 23/04/1993
  52. Baie-Saint-Paul 25-29/05/1993
  53. La Martinique 23-28/08/1993
  54. Sainte-Martine 4-18/09/1993
  55. Saint-Romuald 27/09/1993
  56. Nicolet 18/05/1994
  57. Laval 23/09/1994
  58. Old Harry 23-25/05/1995
  59. Grosse Île 1-9/08/1995
  60. total de 7 mentions automne 1998 1998 QO 10(4):29
  61. Saint-Ferdinand 13/10/1998
  62. Saint-Godefroy 12-19/09/1998

  63. Saint-Étienne-de-Beauharnois 30/08/1998 Ornitho-Qc
    mention non-confirmée

  64. Cap-Tourmente 09/05/1999 QO 11(2):30
  65. Grosse Île 07/05/2000 QO 12(2):35
  66. Saint-Jean-sur-le-Richelieu 14-24/05/2000 QO 12(2):36
  67. Cap-Tourmente 16-19/05/2000 QO 12(2):36
  68. Pabos 20-21/05/2000 QO 12(2):36
  69. Lasalle 29/05/2000 QO 12(2):36

  70. Port Saint-François 21-31/10/2001 QO 14(1):43
    immature;

  71. Paspébiac 08/05/2001 QO 13(2):44

  72. Rimouski 23/05/2001 QO 13(2): 44
    mention non-confirmée

  73. Cap-Tourmente 04/06/2001 Ornitho-Qc
    mention non-confirmée

  74. parc de la Yamaska 13-14/10/2001 QO 13(4):43
    jeune;

  75. Granby 04/11/2001 QO 13(4):43
    jeune;

  76. Saint-Mathias 09/11/2001 QO 14(1):43
    jeune;

  77. Lachenaie 24-28/07/2002 QO 14(3):44

  78. Sainte-Martine 24/08-5/09/2002 QO 14(4):45
    jeune;

  79. Saint-Barthélemy 3/09-13/10/2004 QO 16(4):44
    1 imm.;

  80. Lac de la Tour (Anticosti) 23-25/08/2004 QO 16(4):44
    1 ad.;

  81. La Minerve 20/09/2004 QO 16(4):44
    1 ad.;

  82. Grosse-Île 10/05/2005 QO 17(2):44
  83. Anse-au-Griffon 27-28/05/2006 QO 18(2):45

  84. LaSalle 01/06/2006 QO 18(3):44
    photo publiée

  85. Sherbrooke 05/06/2006 QO 18(3):44
    photo publiée

  86. Bassin 22/06/2006 QO 18(3):44
  87. Sept-Îles 23/06/2006 QO 18(3):44
  88. La Martinique 26/07/2006 QO 18(3):44
  89. Anse-au-Griffon 09/08/2006 QO 18(4):45
  90. La Martinique 4-20/06/2007 QO 19(4):44

  91. Masson 20/10/2008 QO 20(4):48
    imm.;

  92. Trois-Rivières 18-21/07/2009 QO 21(3):49
    1 ad.;

  93. Irlande 12-24/08/2009 QO 21(4):48
    1 juv.; photo publiée

  94. Châteauguay 16/05/2010 QO 22(2):48
    2 ad.; photo publiée

  95. Matane 25/05/2011 QO 23(2):49
  96. Lac-au-Saumon 25-26/10/2011 QO 23(4):48
  97. Haldimand (Gaspé) 13/05/2012 QO 24(2):48
  98. Hudson 21/05/2012 QO 24(2):48
  99. Sherbrooke 28/08/2012 QO 24(4):49

  100. Saint-Urbain 31/08/2013 web
    photo publiée

Sources and Credits

  1. Wikimedia Commons, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Egretta_caerulea.jpg
  2. (c) Flickr, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8474/8427552948_284ea71716_o.jpg
  3. (c) Geoff Coe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/75396813@N00/442734663
  4. Adapted by Roger Simard from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egretta_caerulea
  5. Adapted by Roger Simard from a work by (c) Unknown, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/22710083
  6. (c) Roger Simard, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

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