Little blue heron in Cuba

© Sergey Uryadnikov/Alam

A little blue

To see a little blue heron in its natural habitat, head to the swamps, tidal flats and lake marshes of the US Gulf Coast, the Caribbean Islands and Central America - but bring your patience. These herons keep a low profile and can sit so still while hunting that they can be hard to spot. The adults develop deep blue plumage, sometimes sporting purple feathers on their heads, and tiptoe around the shoreline on green legs. The chicks are born snowy white, which scientists suggest is a survival adaptation to help them blend in with bright white cattle egrets and snowy egrets – safety in numbers, after all.