Arizona is home to eight of the 17 species of herons that live in North America on a regular basis. There are four more that are uncommon or unintentional. This guide will help you identify and understand more about these long-legged birds.
Herons, which prefer salty, freshwater, or even looking into your backyard pond for a quick snack, are water-loving birds.
However, many of the fish herons that your other fish herons eats are protected, so a net is your best option if you’re having problems.
Herons prefer to hunt alone by standing completely still and waiting or by dashing about to disturb the prey, so they often nest in huge colonies known as heronries.
A collection of herons is known by a variety of names, including “rookery,” “battery,” “hedge,” and even the term “scattering” herons!
You should learn more about the ducks, swans, and pelicans you may observe in Arizona if you like seeing waterbirds.
12 Species Of Heron In Arizona
1. Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Herons can be found throughout Arizona year-round and are often observed. In the state of Florida, they are seen on 9% of summer checklists and 12% of winter checklists submitted by birdwatchers.
The Great Blue Heron is the biggest heron native to North America, and it’s a big bird.
Their face is white, with a black crest or plume that runs from their forehead to the back of their skulls. Yellow-orangish bills cover their heads.
Grayish-blue bodies and lengthy gray legs distinguish them from other species with shorter gray necks.
- Ardea herodias
- Length: 46 – 52 in (117 – 132 cm)
- Weight: 128 oz (3628 g)
- Wingspan: 77 – 82 in (196 – 208 cm)
Most US states have Great Blue Herons, but they migrate south during the breeding season.
In Florida, a white morph variety of the Great Blue Heron is known as the Great White Heron.
Great Blue Herons can be found in a variety of wetland habitats. Fresh and saltwater marshes, mangrove swamps, flooded marshes, lake borders, and shorelines are all possible habitats for them.
Fish, frogs, salamanders, shrimps, crabs, dragonflies, grasshoppers, and other aquatic insects are the primary foods of Great Blue Herons.
While wading or standing in water, they capture their prey. Hovering above water, diving into it, leaping feet-first from perches, and floating on the surface of water are all examples of behavior.
Great Blue Heron colonies are found high in the trees, close to water, where they build nests. Twigs and sticks are used to make the nests, which are lined with softer material.
Since Great Blue Herons reuse their nests, they may expand and rebuild them over time, increasing the nest’s dimensions.
After that, the female lays two to seven eggs. The eggs are incubated for around four weeks by both parents.
Fun Fact: With their heads thrown back, Great Blue Herons defend their feeding area with spectacular outstretched wing displays.
2. Great Egret
All year, Great Egrets may be seen in Arizona, but their numbers peak between October and January. Summer checklists include them in 3% of their lists, while winter checklists include them in 10%.
During the breeding season, when males have neon green face skin and long, wispy feathers (aigrettes) extending from their backs to their tails, Great Egrets are at their best. Males show off these aigrettes during courting like a peacock does with its tail.
They are big, all-white herons that are often referred to as Great White Herons because of their size. Common egrets are another name for them. White with dagger-like, long, brilliant yellow beaks and long, black legs and feet, these enormous birds are stunning.
Males, females, and juvenile birds have the same appearance.
- Ardea alba
- Length: 37 – 41 in (94 – 104cm)
- Weight: 59.96 oz (1699 g)
- Wingspan: 54 – 55 in (137 – 140 cm)
The Great Egret can be found all throughout the globe. Those in the southern and coastal United States stay there year-round, but those farther inland travel south during the winter.
Great Egrets may be found in both freshwater and saltwater marshes, as well as fish ponds.
Fish, frogs, small animals, crustaceans, and insects make up the majority of Great Egret’s diet. Great Egrets stand motionless on the water, waiting for their prey to come within range and then striking and skewering it with their long bills.
Great Egrets have nests that are found in groups. To keep predators like raccoons at bay, they are commonly placed high in trees, preferably on islands.
Marsh plant sticks, twigs, and stems are used to make them. Both parents care for the eggs, which are placed up to six at a time, and take roughly twenty-five days to hatch.
Fun Fact: The Great Egret was nearly hunted extinct because of its lengthy white feathers (aigrettes), which were mostly utilized to embellish ladies’ headdresses.
3. Green Heron
Throughout the year, Green Herons may be seen in Arizona, however September through November are the busiest. Summer and winter checklists have 4% of them, while fall migration has up to 6%.
The glossy green-black sheen of the crowns, crests, backs, and wings of Green Herons makes them stand out when seen from a distance, but you have to get closer to appreciate this.
These bills turn black during the breeding season, and their bills are two-toned, dark on top and yellow on bottom. Their iris and limbs also change color from yellow to orange.
Chestnut or maroon are the colors of their heads, necks, and breasts. A white central stripe runs down the length of their neck, from front to back. Gray bellies cover their entire bodies.
With black hats and a higher crest, juveniles are browner.
- Butorides virescens
- Length: 18 – 22 in (46 – 56 cm)
- Weight: 9.17 oz (260 g)
- Wingspan: 25 – 26 in (64 – 66 cm)
Before heading south, green herons breed mostly in the eastern United States and the Pacific Coast. Those on the Gulf Coast, the Caribbean, and Mexico, on the other hand, stay throughout the year.
Swamps, marshes, lakes, ponds, and other wet habitats with dense vegetation are home to Green Herons. They may stay in dry woods or orchards if there are water sources nearby, despite their preference for coastal and inland wetlands.
Little fish, insects, spiders, crustaceans, snails, amphibians, reptiles, and rodents make up the Green Heron’s diet. Rather than wading, they usually hunt from shore by perched on sticks above the water.
Green Heron nests are typically built on high in the trees over water, though they may also be set on the ground, hidden under bushes.
Females lay two-day intervals of six eggs, which are placed in a row. The final egg is deposited, and the parents begin incubating after twenty days. When their eggs hatch, they feed their babies.
Fun Facts: Bait, such as bread, feathers, twigs, and leaves are used by green herons to catch their food. (Davis and Kushlan, 1994) This is one of the few bird species that does so.
4. Snowy Egret
From September through December, snowy egrets can be found in Arizona, however they may be seen throughout the year. Summer and winter checklists have them at a rate of 4%, but during fall migration, they may be found at a rate of 6%.
Snowy Egrets are little, all-white herons that hail from their name. Their irises are yellow, and their skin is around the eye is long, with black beaks and legs. Their feet are bright yellow.
Their heads, necks, and backs grow long, lacy feathers throughout the breeding season. During courtship, their lores and facial skin turn reddish-pink, and their toes turn orange-red.
Surprisingly, during violent encounters, these parts of their bodies become bright red.
Adults have head plumes, whereas juveniles do not. Lores and legs are more greenish-yellow, and the colors on their bills and legs are lighter.
- Egretta thula
- Length: 22 – 27 in (56 -69 cm)
- Weight: 16.75 oz (475 g)
- Wingspan: 39.4 in (100 cm)
Except for the Gulf Coast and the southwest coast, snowy egrets migrate across much of the United States. Throughout the year, they may be found in Mexico, Central America, and South America.
Snowy Egrets may be found in marshes, riverbanks, lakesides, pools, salt marshes, and estuaries in shallow wetland environments. They prefer marshlands with protective trees and plants for nesting.
Fish, crabs, snails, frogs, and crayfish are among the foods hunted by snowy egrets in shallow water. They may rest quietly until prey comes to them, or they may agitate the water to bring their prey to the surface. This makes it simpler for them to capture.
Males select the nests of Snowy Egrets. To attract their mates, they choose a location and go full display. The males continue to provide sticks, sedges, or reeds for the females while they build the nest.
Nesting locations on the ground include trees and shrubs. Both parents incubate their eggs after the female lays two to six eggs. The average incubation period is twenty-four days.
Fun Fact: Because of their beautiful white head feathers, which were perfect as a decoration or accessory to women’s hats, snowy egrets were almost hunted down to extinction.
5. Black-crowned Night-Heron
All year, Arizona is home to black-crowned night-herons, but their numbers rise from November to January. Summer checklists have 3%, and winter checklists have 5% of these species.
The typical description of the heron family does not apply to black-crowned night-herons, or simply night herons. The beak, neck, and legs are all shorter than those of other species.
Black caps extend from a white line above the black bills of adult Black-crowned Night-herons.
The lores (area in front of the eye, towards the beak) are green-blue, and their eyes are red. The back is darker and they are white on the bottom. Yellow is the color of their legs and feet.
The black head and rear of the bird change to a glossy blue-green during the breeding season, with two or three white feathers appearing on the crown. The legs and feet become red or pink, as well as the lores turning black.
The overall color of juveniles is dull grayish-brown with streaking and spotting.
- Nycticorax nycticorax
- Length: 25 – 28 in (64 – 71 cm)
- Weight: 38.8 oz (1100 g)
- Wingspan: 44 – 45 in (112 – 114 cm)
The worldwide range of Black-crowned Night-herons is tremendous. They breed in the United States and Canada before heading south in North America. Over the beaches, some may be seen all year.
Wetland environments such as shallow freshwater or brackish rivers are home to Black-crowned Night-herons. Artificial habitats such as reservoirs, canals, and fish ponds are also utilized to them.
In preparation for selecting their partners, male Black-crowned Night-herons build nests in bushes or trees, which are started by the males.
After that, the female will lay two-day intervals of up to seven eggs. For around twenty-four days, both parents begin to incubate the eggs that have been placed. For around three weeks, the parents will take care of their infant.
Fun Fact: For more than a century, the National Zoo in Washington, DC has hosted a colony of Black-crowned Night-herons during their summer vacations.
6. Cattle Egret
Cattle Egrets may be seen throughout Arizona all year, with the majority of their sightings in the south of the region.
Cattle Egrets utilize a clever method of catching food…they perch atop the backs of cattle to catch the grazing prey when the cattle graze and rumble through the dirt.
With white bodies and faint orange-brown patches on their heads, necks, and backs, Cattle Egrets are little, short-necked egrets.
Their irises and face skin are yellow. Their bills are small, and their legs are greenish-black. Males and females have a lot in common.
During the breeding season, Cattle Egrets change color, gaining brightness on their legs and face.
Their pale orange patches turn deeper orange during breeding season. During the height of their courting, their bills, legs, and irises become bright red, and their face skin (lores) becomes pinkish-red.
- Bubulcus ibis
- Length: 19 – 21 in (48 – 53 cm)
- Weight: 17.98 oz (510 g)
- Wingspan: 36 – 38 in (91 – 97 cm)
Cattle Egrets may be found across the globe, however those in Mexico, the Gulf Coast, and the southwestern US states remain year-round.
After breeding, however, those that breed further north, primarily in the United States’ eastern states.
Cattle Egrets may be found in grasslands, pastures, agricultural fields, and rice paddies wherever hoofed animals are present.
They do venture into the edges of aquatic environments, such as riverbanks, ponds, and shallow marshes, despite their preference for staying on land and atop cattle. Golf courses, lawns, athletic fields, dumps, and parks are also places where they may be found.
Insects, mostly grasshoppers, crickets, flies, beetles, and moths make up the diet of Cattle Egrets. Spiders, frogs, tiny snakes, lizards, earthworms, and fish are among the reptiles they eat.
Cattle Egret nests are typically laid in woodlands near lakes or rivers, in bogs, or on tiny islands, and are made of sticks and reeds.
The female lays nine eggs and incubates them for around twenty-five days. The young takes around 45 days to fledge, become fully independent of their parents, and grow up.
Fun Fact: Instead of correcting for light refraction while feeding in water, the Cattle Egret’s eyes have evolved to tolerate foraging on land by having binocular vision.
7. Least Bittern
In Arizona, Least Bitterns may be seen all year, primarily around Phoenix and Tucson in the south of the state.
The Little Bitterns, which are the tiniest herons in North America, are difficult to locate amid the reeds.
In the Americas, the Least Bitterns are the tiniest herons, and they’re difficult to locate in the reeds.
Their yellow beak is topped with a dark cap and a dark top, and they are brown and white hues. They have claws and toes that help them grip the reeds.
Females and juveniles have lighter backs and crowns than males, but they are otherwise similar.
- Ixobrychus exilis
- Length: 11 – 14 in (28 – 36 cm)
- Weight: 3 oz (85 g)
- Wingspan: 16 – 18 in (41 – 46 cm)
Bitterns are found across Europe and Africa, although they may occasionally stray into North America.
Least Bitterns may be found in coastal marshes and dense freshwater, as well as brackish marshlands with plenty of tall cattails. When they perch on reeds, look for them.
They’ll stiffen up, raise their bills to the sky, and sway in rhythm with the reeds as soon as they sense danger.
Little fish, frogs, tadpoles, salamanders, slugs, dragonflies, water bugs, and sometimes mice are among the foods of Least Bitterns. They position themselves on the reeds, performing acrobatic contortions to reach their prey on the surface of the water, sometimes reaching it.
The female of the Least Bitterns builds well-concealed nests out of cattails and marsh vegetation, which are well-concealed platforms. Both parents incubate the eggs for around twenty days, which she lays up to seven. They then regurgitate food to feed newly hatched chicks.
Fun Fact: Long necks and a hunchbacked stance characterize the Least Bitterns.
8. American Bittern
Although Arizona is not home to a large number of American Bitterns, they are regularly seen here from September through May.
In the spring of the American Bittern, if you’re lucky, you’ll hear the strange watery boom calls long before you see them. Below you’ll find some more information.
The Heron family includes American Bitterns, which are a little bulky and medium-sized bird.
Because of their brown striped and mottled patterning, as well as their capacity to stay motionless amid the reeds with their head angled up, they resemble the reeds they hide in.
They have short legs and yellow eyes that turn orange during mating.
- Botaurus lentiginosus
- Length: 23 in (58 cm)
- Weight: 25.6 oz (726 g)
- Wingspan: 42 – 50 in (107 – 127 cm)
Before heading to the Gulf Coast and Mexico, American Bitterns breed in Canada and northern US states.
Shallow, freshwater marshes and wetlands with tall reeds are home to American Bitterns nearly exclusively.
Look for them near the margins of lakes and ponds, amid the rough vegetation.
Fish, crustaceans, insects, amphibians, and small mammals make up the diet of American Bitterns. They lurk quietly among the reeds, waiting for their target to approach before dashing forward swiftly to catch them in their bills.
American Bittern Calls: Listen to their aquatic boom calls for a sense of their unusual nature. One of the oddest bird cries is this one.
Nests of American Bitterns can be found on the water, concealed among coarse vegetation. Females choose the nest site and build it themselves with available reeds, sedges, cattails, and other vegetation.
They lay seven eggs, which are incubated for around twenty-six days. Females feed the chicks straight into their beaks when they are born. They leave the nest two weeks after they have been fully fledged, around six to seven weeks.
Fun Fact: Just like the reeds that conceal them, American Bitterns point upwards and sway gently from side to side.
9. Tricolored Heron
In Arizona, tricolored herons are considered unusual or uncommon, although they may be seen during migration in southern Arizona.
The white belly and neck stripe of a Tricolored Heron distinguishes it from other herons.
Adults that are not breeding have a mixture of blue-gray, purple, and white feathers. Their bills have a black tip and are yellowish or greyish in color. They have yellow or olive green legs and feet.
The base of the bill and the back of the head of breeding adults are also covered in thin, white feathers. On their necks and backs, they have finer feathers. The reddish color of their legs spreads as well.
The neck, upper breasts, upper back, and wings of juveniles are darker reddish-brown in color.
- Egretta tricolor
- Length: 24 – 26 in (61 – 66 cm)
- Weight: 14.6 oz (414 g)
- Wingspan: 36 in (91 cm)
Herons of various colors may be seen throughout the Gulf Coast, Mexico, and northern South America year-round. Those that breed farther north in the Atlantic Coast migrate south.
Freshwater and brackish marshes, estuaries, and coastal tidal pools or swamps are all places to see Tricolored Herons.
Tricolored Herons are territorial when it comes to food, and they are aggressive. Other wading birds will be chased away from their area, and they will love to devour tiny fish, frogs, crustaceans, and insects.
Stalk, chase, stand, and wait for your victim to be caught. Before striking, they squat low in the water with their bellies touching the surface and their necks drawn in.
Tricolored Heron nests are constructed from sticks and placed in colonies amid trees and shrubs. Both parents participate in the incubation of the eggs, which takes three weeks before they hatch. The female lays three to five eggs and both parents share in the responsibility. The young are also fed by both of them.
Fun Fact: The sole dark-colored heron with a white belly, the Tricolored Heron was formerly known as the Louisiana Heron.
10. Reddish Egret
In Arizona, Reddish Egrets are a near-threatened species that may be seen from July to January.
In Arizona, Reddish Egrets are a near-threatened species that may be seen from July through January.
The reddish Egrets’ dark pink and grayish-blue tones, as well as their bursts of speed in order to capture prey, make this one of the most fascinating birds to observe.
They are really dark and light variants of Reddish Egrets, with white variants being uncommon.
Blue-grayed bodies and cinnamon-toned heads, necks, and breasts distinguish dark morph Reddish Egrets. Pink with a black tip, their bills are easy to spot.
The bodies of white morphs are completely devoid of color. Their eyes are straw yellow, and their skin (lores) is darker, while their legs and feet are blue-black.
Adults will mate with either morph, and juveniles are likewise dark or white.
- Egretta rufescens
- Length: 27 – 32 in (69 – 81 cm)
- Weight: 15.9 oz (451 g)
- Wingspan: 46 in (117 cm)
All year, from the Gulf Coast to northern South America, Reddish Egrets may be found.
In open marine flats and beaches, you can spot Reddish Egrets. Marshes, shallow bays, and lagoons are also home to them.
Reddish Egrets eat and forage on their own. In order to catch fish, they cross shallow, flooded flats. They stab fish with their beaks immediately after they’ve scared them up.
Reddish Egret nests are frequently found in colonies and constructed on a platform of sticks by both parents. Protected islands with adjacent feeding habitats are the most common location.
The female lays seven eggs, which are incubated by both parents for twenty-five days. They’ll feed their young for up to nine weeks after they’ve left the nest, and they both care for the little ones.
Fun Fact: The male will perform a head toss display and beak snapping during mating, puffing out his feathers on his head, neck, and back.
11. Little Blue Heron
In Arizona, Little Blue Herons are an uncommon species that has been declared an accidental species. In 2021, they were discovered in the Salt River near the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area.
Adults are considerably larger than juveniles of the same species. With long, stretched bodies, they are medium to huge in size. With dangling feathers across the nape, their heads and necks have a purple hue.
During the breeding season, their eyes become gray-green, which is a light yellow color. Two-toned – pale blue or grayish with black tips – their long, dagger-like bills Slate-blue is the color of their skin. They have long, black-to-green legs.
During their first year of life, juvenile Little Blue Herons are totally white before evolving into a combination of dark gray, blue, and white.
- Egretta caerulea
- Length: 24 – 29 in (61 – 74 cm)
- Weight: 16.22 oz (460 g)
- Wingspan: 40 – 41 in (102 – 104 cm)
Before heading south, Little Blue Herons breed in the eastern United States, and those along the Gulf Coast and Mexico do likewise all year.
Little Blue Herons may be found near water, such as on marshes, ponds, streams, lagoons, tidal flats, canals, ditches, and fish hatcheries.
In comparison to other herons, Little Blue Herons forage in a more elegant manner. They merely stand and wait in shallow waters for their prey, rather than dashing about across the water.
Fish, frogs, snakes, turtles, spiders, crabs, mice, and insects make up the Little Blue Heron’s diet. When it comes to foraging, adults prefer to go it alone, but juveniles want to be in mixed groups.
Little Blue Heron nests are constructed of sticks and are commonly found in groups with other herons. The female deposits up to six eggs. The incubation of both parents may last up to twenty-four days.
Fun Fact: Juvenile Little Blue Herons’ presence among Snowy Egrets allows them to capture additional fish and gain additional protection from predators because of their white coloring.
12. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
In Arizona, the yellow-crowned night-heron is an accidental species. They’re uncommon in the state, however they were recently seen near Seneca Lake Recreation Area in 2022.
Yellow crowns with two plumes protruding from the head characterize adult Yellow-crowned Night Herons. Their bills are thick and black in color. The sides of their heads below their eyes are covered in a little white patch. The rest of their heads are black.
As they grew up, their eyes became red, which changed from yellow to orange to red.
Their wings are scaled with a pattern similar to that of their bodies. During the breeding season, their legs grow long and yellow, then turn coral, pink, or red.
Their wings have a scaled pattern, and their bodies are gray-blue. During the breeding season, their legs become coral, pink, or red. They are long and yellow.
Grayish-brown in color with white streaks and spots, juveniles develop as they mature. They take three years to maturity, as do adults.
- Nyctanassa violacea
- Length: 22 – 28 in (56 – 71 cm)
- Weight: 25.6 oz ( 726 g)
- Wingspan: 42 0 44 in (107 – 112 cm)
Before heading south, yellow-crowned night-herons breed mostly in the southern United States. In Mexico, the Caribbean, and northern South America, they are present all year.
In coastal areas with a lot of crustaceans, shallow waters, and suitable feeding opportunities, you may see Yellow-crowned Night-herons during dawn and dusk.
Crabs and crayfish are the main crustaceans in the Yellow-crowned Night-heron’s diet. Fish, insects, worms, mollusks, lizards, snakes, rats and birds are also among the foods they consume. They may devour tiny prey in a matter of seconds.
Crabs are often dismembered or stabbed through their bodies.
Yellow-crowned Night-herons build nests near water in tiny, loosely connected groups, which are commonly spotted. Both parents make nests out of grass, leaves, or moss-covered sticks and twigs.
After that, she deposits up to eight eggs and leaves them to hatch for three weeks. The chicks are fed through regurgitation after they hatch. They fledge after roughly a month and are capable of flying on their own at fifty days.
Fun Fact: A virus called eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) can kill horses and humans, and yellow-crowned night-herons are carriers of it.
How Frequently Herons Are Spotted In Arizona In Summer And Winter
Using Checklists, you may learn which birds are seen frequently in your area. In Arizona during the summer and winter, these lists show which herons are most often seen on ebird checklists.
Herons in Arizona in summer:
Great Blue Heron 9.4%
Green Heron 4.2%
Black-crowned Night-Heron 3.6%
Great Egret 3.5%
Snowy Egret 3.0%
Least Bittern 0.6%
Cattle Egret 0.6%
Tricolored Heron 0.1%
Little Blue Heron <0.1%
American Bittern <0.1%
Reddish Egret <0.1%
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron <0.1%
Herons in Arizona in winter:
Great Blue Heron 12.2%
Great Egret 10.3%
Black-crowned Night-Heron 4.8%
Snowy Egret 4.6%
Green Heron 4.1%
Cattle Egret 0.4%
Least Bittern 0.3%
American Bittern 0.2%
Reddish Egret <0.1%
Little Blue Heron <0.1%
Tricolored Heron <0.1%