Tri-colored Heron

A peek at Florida's Nature

Tri-colored Heron

The Tri-colored Heron is a medium-size wading bird named for its three main colors: bluish-gray, purple and white. Its head, back and wings are a dark bluish-gray. The back of the neck is purple. The belly is white. The Tri-color also has a narrow white streak with delicate rust-colored markings down the front of its neck. The eyes are bright red. The legs are pale green or yellow. The bill is usually yellow at the base and has a dark tip.

The Tri-colored Heron is bluish-gray,
purple and white.

Breeding colors
During breeding season the Tri-color gets even more colorful. The base of its bill turns bright blue, and it develops a white pony tail plume on the back of its head. Soft tan plumes grow from its back. Its legs turn bright red.

Tri-colored Heron with breeding colors, above

Young Tri-colored Heron
The young Tri-color is very similar to the adult, but it has more of a rust coloring overall. This changes gradually each time the young bird molts, allowing it to slowly take on the adult colors.

The young Tri-colored Heron has rusty brown
coloring on its head and neck.

An active bird
The Tri-colored Heron is more active than the larger herons. This bird does not patiently stand and wait when feeding. It walks through shallow water in a jerky fashion, crouching and darting as it moves along. Sometimes it raises its wings to cast a shadow on the water so it can spot its prey. It lunges and prances, then shoots its bill into the water to catch a fish or an aquatic insect. You might see the same dance performed by the Reddish Egret, a similar but taller bird.

The Tri-color is often seen with other wading birds - usually White Ibises, Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets and Little Blue Herons. If you find yourself confusing the Tri-color with the Little Blue Heron, keep in mind that the Tri-colored Heron has a white belly and bright red eyes. The Little Blue Heron is bluish all over and has yellowish eyes. The Tri-color is very vocal if disturbed while fishing. It flies away abruptly and gives out a loud call that falls somewhere between a squawk and a bark.

The photos on this page were taken in Palm Harbor, Florida
and Tarpon Springs, Florida.