Montana has been home to seven of the 17 species of herons that are found throughout North America on a regular basis. There are four more that are uncommon or unintended. This guide will help you identify and learn about these long-legged birds.
Herons, which can be found in saltwater, freshwater, or even peering into your own backyard pond for a quick snack, are water-loving birds.
Nevertheless, several of your fish herons are protected and should be caught with a net if you’re having trouble.
Herons prefer to hunt alone, either by standing absolutely still and waiting for the prey or by running about to excite it. Heronries, which are huge colonies of herons, are common habitats.
A colony of herons is known as a “rookery,” and there are various other names for a collection of herons, including “battery,” “hedge,” “siege,” “pose” and “scattering.”
You might learn more about the ducks, swans, or pelicans you may see in Montana if you enjoy seeing waterbirds.
11 Species Of Heron In Montana
1. Great Blue Heron
Between April and May and August to September, Great Blue Herons spend the breeding season in Montana, but their numbers rise during migration. In western Montana, they can be seen throughout the year.
They appear on 10% of summer checklists, 4% of winter checklists, and 14% of state-submitted migration checklists, according to bird watchers’ reports.
The greatest heron native to North America, Great Blue Herons, are very large and majestic birds.
They have a black crest or plume that extends from the front of their eyes to the back of their heads, with a white face. They have a yellow-orangish color to their bills.
Their bodies are grayish-blue, and their legs are long and gray. They have long grey necks with black and white streaking in the front.
- 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 that stay throughout the year, but those that breed in the Mid-West and Canada go south for breeding.
In Florida, the Great White Heron is a white morph of the Great Blue Heron.
Great Blue Herons can be found in a variety of wetland settings. Fresh and saltwater marshes, mangrove swamps, flooded marshes, lake borders, and coastal areas all have them.
Fish, frogs, salamanders, shrimps, crabs, dragonflies, grasshoppers, and other aquatic insects are the major foods of Great Blue Herons.
When wading or standing in water, they capture their prey. Hovering above water, diving into it, jumping feet-first from perches, and floating on the surface are all options available to them.
Colonies of Great Blue Herons may be found in elevated trees near to water, where they breed. Twigs and sticks are lined with softer material to make the nests.
Since Great Blue Herons reuse their nests, they may increase the size of their nests over time by repairing and adding to them.
The female deposits two to seven eggs after that. Over the course of four weeks, both parents alternate incubating the eggs.
Fun Fact: With their heads thrown back and their wings spread out, Great Blue Herons defend their feeding ground with spectacular displays.
2. Black-crowned Night-Heron
From April to September, black-crowned night-herons breed in Montana, where they may be seen.
The typical description of the heron family does not apply to Black-crowned Night-Herons, or simply Night Herons. The bill, neck, and legs are all short, and it’s stocky.
The black caps of adult Black-crowned Night-herons stretch from a white line above the bird’s black beak.
The lores (in front of the eye, towards the beak) are green-blue, and their eyes are crimson. The underside is white, while the rear is darker. Yellow is the color of their legs and feet.
Two or three white feathers appear on the crown during the breeding season, and the black coloring of the head and back turns to a glossy blue-green. The legs and feet become red or pink, as well as the lores turning black.
The overall color of juveniles is a 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 range of Black-crowned Night-herons extends across the globe. Before moving south, they breed in North America, with the United States and Canada being the most common. These may be seen all year along the coasts.
Wetland environments with shallow freshwater or brackish rivers are home to Black-crowned Night-herons. Artificial habitats such as reservoirs, canals, and fish ponds are also used to house them.
Night-feeding black-crowned nightherons feast on crayfish and fish, as well as turtles or worms. They are night feeders who feast on whatever they can find.
Male Black-crowned Night-herons build nests in bushes and trees in preparation for selecting their mates.
After that, the female will lay up to seven eggs every two days. For roughly twenty-four days, both parents begin incubating the eggs after they are deposited. For around three weeks, the parents will look after their children.
Fun Fact: For more than a century, the National Zoo in Washington, DC has hosted a colony of Black-crowned Night-herons during the summer.
3. American Bittern
During the breeding season, northeastern Montana is home to American Bitterns, although they are not particularly common.
You may hear the peculiar watery boom cries of the American Bittern long before you see them, if you’re lucky. Further down, you’ll find them…
The Heron family includes the American Bitterns, which are robust, medium-sized birds.
Because of their brown striped and mottled patterning, as well as their capacity to remain motionless amid the reeds with their head angled up, they resemble the reeds they hide in.
They have short legs and yellow eyes that change to orange during mating.
- Botaurus lentiginosus
- Length: 23 in (58 cm)
- Weight: 25.6 oz (726 g)
- Wingspan: 42 – 50 in (107 – 127 cm)
Before moving to the Gulf Coast and Mexico, American Bitterns breed in Canada and northern US states.
In shallow, freshwater marshes and wetlands with tall reeds, you may typically find American Bitterns.
Train your eyes on the coarse vegetation along the banks of lakes and ponds to discover them.
Fish, crustaceans, insects, amphibians, and small mammals make up the diet of American Bitterns. They lurk stealthily among the reeds, remaining motionless and quiet, waiting for their target to approach before launching themselves forward swiftly to capture them.
The water, hidden among coarse vegetation, is home to nests of American Bitterns. Females pick a location for the nest, which they prepare themselves using available reeds, sedges, cattails, and other plants.
They lay seven eggs, which take around twenty-six days to incubate. The females feed the chicks straight into their beaks when they are born. They leave the nest after two weeks and are fully developed at around six to seven weeks.
Fun Fact: Like the reeds that conceal them, American Bitterns point upwards and sway gently from side to side.
4. Great Egret
Throughout the breeding season, from April to September, Great Egrets may be seen in Montana in small numbers.
Males have neon green facial skin and long, wispy feathers (aigrettes) extending from their backs to their tails during the breeding season, which they display during courting, much like a peacock showcasing its tail. Great Egrets are at their best then.
They’re known as Great White Herons because of their enormous size, which is all white. Common egrets are another name for them. These huge birds feature dagger-like, long, brilliant yellow beaks and lengthy, black legs and feet.
Males, females, and juveniles all have the same appearance when they are not breeding.
- Ardea alba
- Length: 37 – 41 in (94 – 104cm)
- Weight: 59.96 oz (1699 g)
- Wingspan: 54 – 55 in (137 – 140 cm)
The world is home to Great Egrets. Those in the southern and seaside US states stay here all year, however those in more inland regions migrate south.
Great Egrets may be found in both fresh and saltwater marshes, as well as fish ponds.
Fish, frogs, tiny mammals, crustaceans, and insects make up the majority of Great Egret’s diet. Great Egrets stand motionless on the water, waiting for their meal to arrive and then striking and spearing it with their long bills once it comes.
In colonies, Great Egret nests may be found. To protect the nests from predators like raccoons, they are usually placed high up in trees, preferably on islands.
Sticks, twigs, and marsh plant stems were used to make them. Females lay six eggs, with both parents spending around twenty-five days incubating the eggs.
Fun Fact: Because of their long white feathers (aigrettes), the Great Egret was almost hunted to extinction.
5. Cattle Egret
During migration, you may see a few Cattle Egrets in Montana, but it’s uncommon.
Cattle Egrets utilize a clever technique of capturing their meal…they stand on the backs of cattle, catching the shifting prey as they move and disturb the earth.
Cattle Egrets have white bodies with pale orange-brown markings on their heads, necks, and backs. They are little, short-necked egrets.
White bodies and light orange-brown patches on their heads, necks, and backs distinguish Cattle Egrets, which are tiny, short-necked egrets.
Their irises and cheeks are yellow. Their yellow bills and greenish-black legs are small. The sexes appear to be similar.
During the breeding season, the Cattle Egret’s color changes, becoming lighter on its legs and face.
Their pale orange markings become darker during the breeding season. During the height of their courting, their bills, legs, and irises grow bright red, and their facial 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 have a global range, although those in Mexico, the Gulf Coast, and the southwestern United States are permanent residents throughout North America.
Those that breed further north, mainly in the eastern United States, migrate south after breeding.
Cattle Egrets may be found in native grasslands, pastures, agricultural fields, and rice fields, especially where there is hoofed animal.
They do go into the margins of aquatic settings, such as riverbanks, ponds, and shallow marshes. They prefer to stay on land and atop of cattle but will occasionally do so. Golf courses, lawns, athletic fields, dumps, and parks are also possible habitats for them.
Insects, mostly grasshoppers, crickets, flies, beetles, and moths make up the diet of Cattle Egrets. Spiders, frogs, small snakes, lizards, earthworms, and fish are among the other animals they consume.
Cattle Egret nests are generally erected in woodlands near lakes or rivers, in marshes, or on little islands. They are made of sticks and reeds and are usually constructed in groups.
Females deposit up to nine eggs, which take twenty-five days to hatch. The young take around 45 days to fledge, become self-sufficient, and reach full maturity from their parents.
Fun Fact: By having binocular vision for judging distance to capture prey on land rather than correcting for light refraction while feeding in water, the Cattle Egret’s eyes have adapted to foraging on land.
6. Snowy Egret
During migration, snowy egrets may be seen in Montana, although they are not particularly common.
Little, all-white herons called Snowy Egrets, as their name suggests. Long, black bills, long, black legs, and brilliant yellow feet are among their characteristics. They feature yellow irises and skin around their eyes.
Their heads, necks, and backs develop long, lacy feathers during the breeding season. During courting, their lores or face skin become reddish-pink, and their toes turn orange-red.
Surprisingly, during aggressive confrontations, these parts of their bodies become brilliant red.
Adults and juveniles have head plumes, but not juveniles. Their bills and legs are also lighter in color, with more greenish-yellow on the lores and legs.
- 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 most of the United States. Throughout Mexico, Central and South America, they stay all year.
Snowy Egrets may be found in marshes, riverbanks, lakesides, pools, salt marshes, and estuaries throughout shallow and wetland environments. Swamp forests with protective trees and shrubs are their preferred nesting habitats.
Fish, crustaceans, snails, frogs, and crayfish are all prey for snowy egrets in shallow water. They may remain stationary and wait for prey to approach them or stir the water to bring their prey to the top so that it is simpler for them to capture.
Males choose the nests of Snowy Egrets. They choose a spot and put on a full show to attract their lovers. The males continue to offer wood, sedges, or reeds while the females create the nest when they couple up.
Nesting trees or shrubs on the ground are often found. Both parents incubate their eggs, which the female lays two to six at a time. The incubation period is normally twenty-four days.
Fun Fact: Because of their beautiful white head feathers, which could be used as a hat decoration or accessory, snowy egrets were nearly hunted to extinction.
7. Green Heron
In 2019, Green Herons were observed at Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge in Montana, which is unusual.
The glossy green-black tint of the crowns, crests, backs, and wings of green herons attracts their name, although they appear humped and gloomy from afar. You need to get a closer look to appreciate this.
In the breeding season, their bills turn black, and they have two-toned bills with a yellow bottom. Their iris and legs also change color from yellow to orange.
Chestnut or maroon is the color of their heads, necks, and breasts. The front part of their neck has a white stripe that runs the length of it. Gray is the color of their bellies.
Browner in color with black caps, juveniles have a higher crest.
- Butorides virescens
- Length: 18 – 22 in (46 – 56 cm)
- Weight: 9.17 oz (260 g)
- Wingspan: 25 – 26 in (64 – 66 cm)
Before moving south, green herons breed predominantly in the eastern United States and the Pacific coast. Those, however, are permanent residents along the Gulf Coast, the Caribbean, and Mexico.
Swamps, marshes, lakes, ponds, and other wet environments with deep vegetation are all home to Green Herons. They may stay in dry woods or orchards if there are water sources nearby, despite their preferences for coastal and inland wetlands.
Little fish, insects, spiders, crustaceans, snails, amphibians, reptiles, and rodents make up the Green Herons’ diet. Instead of wading, they typically hunt from the shore by perched on sticks over the water.
Green Heron nests are built high in the trees over water, but some may also leave them on the ground, disguised under vegetation. Nests are made of long, thin twigs.
Females lay two to six eggs every two days, in 2-day intervals. The final egg is deposited, and the parents begin incubating it after around twenty days. When the eggs are hatched, both parents feed their young.
Fun Facts: Bait, such as bread, feathers, twigs, and leaves, is used by Green Herons to catch their prey. (Davis and Kushlan, 1994) This is one of the few bird species that does so.
8. Tricolored Heron
In Montana, tricolored herons are an uncommon sight. They were last seen in 2020 at Kiwanis Park and are extremely rare in the state.
The white belly and neck stripe on a Tricolored Heron distinguishes it from other herons.
Adults that aren’t breeding have a mix of blue-gray, purple, and white feathers. Their bills are black at the end and yellowish or greyish. Yellow or olive green are the colors of their legs and feet.
The base of the bill of breeding adults becomes blue, and they have narrow white feathers extending from the back of their heads. Their necks and back are also feathered more finely. Their legs, too, turn crimson in color.
The neck, upper breasts, upper back, and wings of juveniles are more reddish-brown.
- Egretta tricolor
- Length: 24 – 26 in (61 – 66 cm)
- Weight: 14.6 oz (414 g)
- Wingspan: 36 in (91 cm)
Throughout the Gulf Coast, Mexico, and northern South America, tricolored Herons may be seen all year. Those who breed farther north in the Atlantic Coast go south as they become older.
Tricolored Herons may be found in marshes, estuaries, and coastal tidal pools or swamps, as well as in freshwater and brackish marshes.
Tricolored Herons are territorial when it comes to feeding locations and defend them strongly. Wading birds that want to feed in their area and enjoy eating tiny fish, frogs, crustaceans, and insects will be chased away by them.
Look for them to be stalking, pursuiting, standing, and waiting for their victim. Before striking, they squat low in the water with their bellies touching the surface and their necks drawn in.
Tricolored Heron nests are made of sticks and placed in trees and shrubs, where they join together. The female lays three to five eggs, which take three weeks to hatch, and both parents contribute to the incubation. The young are also fed by both of them.
Fun Fact: The Tricolored Heron is the sole dark-colored heron with a white belly, and it was previously known as the Louisiana Heron.
9. Little Blue Heron
In Montana, little blue herons are an uncommon sight and have been designated as an accidental species. In 2009, they were last seen near Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
Little Blue Herons are actually quite large in adulthood. They have long, extended bodies that range in size from medium to large. With hanging feathers over the nape, their heads and necks have a purple tint.
During the breeding season, their eyes can turn gray-green, which is a pale yellow color. Their two-toned bills are long and dagger-shaped, with black tips. They have slate-blue bodies. Long, black to gray-green legs are their only feature.
Before developing a combination of dark gray, blue, and white, juvenile Little Blue Herons are totally white during their first year.
- Egretta caerulea
- Length: 24 – 29 in (61 – 74 cm)
- Weight: 16.22 oz (460 g)
- Wingspan: 40 – 41 in (102 – 104 cm)
Before going south, Little Blue Herons breed in the eastern United States, but those living in the Gulf Coast and Mexico spend the whole year there.
Little Blue Herons may be found around water, such as in wetlands, marshes, ponds, streams, lagoons, tidal flats, canals, ditches, fish hatcheries, and flooded fields.
In comparison to other herons, Little Blue Herons forage in a more graceful manner. Instead of rushing around the water, they just stand and wait for their prey in shallow waters.
Fish, frogs, snakes, turtles, spiders, crustaceans, mice, and insects are all part of the Little Blue Heron’s diet. Adults prefer to go alone, whereas juveniles prefer to be with mixed groups.
Little Blue Heron nests are constructed of sticks and are often found in groups with other herons. Up to six eggs are laid by the female. For up to twenty-four days, both parents share in the incubation.
Fun Fact: Juvenile Little Blue Herons’ presence among Snowy Egrets allows them to capture more fish and gain extra protection from predators because of their white coloring.
10. Least Bittern
In Montana, Least Bitterns are an “accidental” species, and they haven’t been seen in a long time, according to records.
The least bitterns, which are the smallest herons in the Americas, can be heard before you see them in the reeds.
Their yellow beak has a black top and a black cap, and they are brown and white hues. They grip the reeds with their long toes and claws.
Females and youngsters have lighter backs and crowns than males, but they look similar.
- Ixobrychus exilis
- Length: 11 – 14 in (28 – 36 cm)
- Weight: 3 oz (85 g)
- Wingspan: 16 – 18 in (41 – 46 cm)
The Bitterns’ normal range is Europe and Africa, although they may wander over North America on rare occasions.
Least Bitterns may be found in thick freshwater and brackish marshlands, surrounded by many tall cattails and reeds. When they perched on reeds, look for them.
They will immediately halt, raise their bills to the sky, and sway with the reeds in time with any impending danger.
Little fish, frogs, tadpoles, salamanders, slugs, dragonflies, aquatic bugs, and sometimes mice are among the foods of Least Bitterns. They sit on the reeds and do acrobatic contortions to reach their prey, which is sometimes just a few feet away.
Female Least Bitterns construct well-concealed platforms made of cattails and marsh vegetation, which they camouflage. The parents incubate the eggs for around twenty days, which she lays up to seven of. After that, they regurgitate food to feed newly hatched chicks.
Fun Fact: Long necks and a hunchbacked posture are common characteristics of Least Bitterns.
11. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
The Montana Bird Advocacy has accepted Yellow-crowned Night-Herons as a reviewable species, despite the fact that they are uncommon birds to see.
Yellow crowns with two plumes protruding from their heads characterize adult Yellow-crowned Night Herons. Their bills are quite large, and they’re black. Their remaining heads are black, with a little white patch on each side below their eyes.
As they grew up, their eyes changed from yellow to orange to red.
Their wings have a scaled pattern and their bodies are gray-blue. During the breeding season, their legs grow longer and turn a bright coral color, pink, or red.
Grayish-brown with white streaks and spots, juvenile start out as grayish-brown. It takes three years for them to reach maturity.
- Nyctanassa violacea
- Length: 22 – 28 in (56 – 71 cm)
- Weight: 25.6 oz ( 726 g)
- Wingspan: 42 0 44 in (107 – 112 cm)
Before moving south, yellow-crowned night-herons breed mostly in the southern United States. Throughout the year, they can be found in Mexico, the Caribbean, and northern South America.
In coastal places with a lot of crustaceans, shallow waters, and plenty of opportunities to feed, you may observe Yellow-crowned Night-herons during day and night.
Crustaceans like crabs and crayfish make up the majority of Yellow-crowned Night-herons’ diets. Fish, insects, worms, mollusks, lizards, snakes, rodents, and birds are also eaten by them. They have the ability to devour tiny prey right away.
Crabs are frequently dismembered or stabbed in their bodies.
Yellow-crowned Night-herons’ nests are typically discovered in tiny loose colonies, yet they always locate water to construct them. Both parents construct the nests out of soft sticks and twigs gathered from grass, leaves, or moss.
After that, she deposits up to eight eggs that they incubate for three weeks together. The chicks are fed regurgitation when they hatch. They fledge after a month and can fly on their own at the age of fifty.
Fun Fact: A deadly mosquito-borne illness (eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) virus) can kill horses and people, and yellow-crowned night-herons may carry it.
How Frequently Herons Are Spotted In Montana In Summer And Winter
Using checklists, you may determine which birds are most often seen in your region. In the summer and winter of Montana, these lists show which herons are most frequently spotted on ebird checklists.
Herons in Montana in summer:
Great Blue Heron 10.4%
Black-crowned Night-Heron 0.8%
American Bittern 0.4%
Great Egret 0.1%
Snowy Egret <0.1%
Cattle Egret <0.1%
Green Heron <0.1%
Tricolored Heron <0.1%
Little Blue Heron <0.1%
Least Bittern <0.1%
Herons in Montana in winter:
Great Blue Heron 4.1%
American Bittern <0.1%
Cattle Egret <0.1%