In Ohio, 10 of the 17 species of herons that are found across North America have been observed. There are two more that are uncommon or happen by chance. This guide will assist you in analyzing and understanding these long-legged birds.
Herons, which may be found in saltwater, freshwater, or pondering your own backyard pond for a quick snack, are water-loving birds.
Yet, many of the fish herons that your fish herons consume are protected, thus a net is your best option if you’re having trouble.
Herons, on the other hand, prefer to hunt alone by standing motionless and waiting for prey or dashing about to agitate it up.
A group of herons is known by a variety of names, including “rookery,” “battery,” “hedge,” “siege,” and “pose” among others!
You should learn more about the ducks, swans, and pelicans that you may see in Ohio if you like seeing waterbirds.
12 Species Of Heron In Ohio
1. Great Blue Heron
From April through October, Great Blue Herons are most commonly seen in Ohio during breeding season, although they may also be seen throughout the year. Summer checklists submitted by birdwatchers for the state include them in 32% of their lists, while winter checklists include them in 8%.
The biggest heron native to North America, Great Blue Herons are huge, majestic birds.
From the front of their eyes to the back of their heads, they have a white face with a black crest or plume. Their papers are orange-yellow in color.
They have grayish-blue bodies and long gray legs with a long gray neck 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, however, have Great Blue Herons that stay throughout the year, while those that breed in the Midwestern and Canadian do.
In Florida, the Great Blue Heron is known as the Great White Heron and has a white morph subspecies.
In Florida, the Great White Heron is a white morph of the Great Blue Heron.
Great Blue Herons may be found in a variety of wetlands. Fresh and saltwater marshes, mangrove swamps, flooded marshes, lake edges, and shorelines are all places where they might be found.
Fish, frogs, salamanders, shrimps, crabs, dragonflies, grasshoppers, and other aquatic insects are the primary foods of Great Blue Herons.
When wading or standing in water, they capture their prey. Hovering over water, diving into the water, jumping feet-first from elevated perches, and floating on the surface are all possible actions.
The nests of Great Blue Herons are situated in colonies high up in the trees near water. Twigs and sticks are used to build the nests, which are lined with softer material.
Great Blue Herons may rebuild and expand their nests over time, as they reuse the sites.
After that, the female lays two to seven eggs. Over the course of four weeks, both parents care for the eggs.
Fun Fact: With their heads thrown back, Great Blue Herons defend their feeding territory with magnificent wing outstretched displays.
2. Great Egret
From mid-March to November, Great Egrets may be seen in Ohio during the breeding season, accounting for 16% of summer checklists.
During the breeding season, when males have neon green facial skin and long, wispy feathers (aigrettes) extending from their backs to their tails, Great Egrets are at their best. Males display them off during courtship, much like a peacock flaring out its tail.
These are big, flightless all-white herons, and they’re often referred to as Great White Herons. Common egrets are a term used to describe them. These huge birds feature long, black legs and feet, as well as dagger-like, long beaks.
Males, females, and juveniles of both sexes 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’s range extends across the globe. Those in the southern and coastal United States stay year-round, but those farther inland and in Canada migrate south during winter.
In freshwater and saltwater marshes, as well as tidal flats, you may find Great Egrets, but also fish ponds.
Fish, frogs, small mammals, crustaceans, and insects make up the majority of Great Egret’s diet. Great Egrets stand motionless on the water, waiting for their prey and then striking and spearing it with their long bills, as you can see in the video above.
In colonies, Great Egret nests may be seen. To keep the nests safe from predators like raccoons, they are usually placed high up in trees, preferably on islands.
Sticks, twigs, and marsh plant stems were used to create them. Both parents incubate the eggs for around twenty-five days, which they lay up to six.
Fun Fact: Because of its long white feathers (aigrettes), the Great Egret was practically driven to extinction. They were primarily used to embellish ladies’ hats.
3. Green Heron
In Ohio, green herons breed and account for 9% of all summer checklists. They come in April and go through a migration period of ten months.
The glossy green-black coloring of the crowns, crests, backs, and wings of green herons makes them stand out against a backdrop of blue water, but they also appear hunched and gloomy from afar.
In the breeding season, their bills change color from dark on top and yellow at the bottom to black. Their iris and legs likewise change color from yellow to orange.
Chestnut or maroon is the color of their heads, necks, and breasts. The neck is striped with a white stripe that runs down the length of the neck. Gray is the color of their bellies.
- 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 US and Pacific Coast. The Gulf Coast, the Caribbean, and Mexico, on the other hand, are permanent.
Swamps, marshes, lakes, ponds, and other damp environments with dense vegetation are home to Green Herons. They may stay in arid 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 rats make up the Green Heron’s diet. Rather than 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, hidden under bushes. They’re 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 start incubating it after around twenty days. When they are hatched, both parents feed their children.
Fun Facts: Bait, such as bread, feathers, twigs, and leaves, are used by Green Herons for foraging. (Davis and Kushlan 1994) This is one of the few bird species that uses tools.
4. Black-crowned Night-Heron
During the breeding season, from April to October, black-crowned night-herons may be seen along the shore of Ohio, and some may be seen flying across the state. In 1% of summer checklists, they are documented.
The typical description of the heron family does not apply to Black-crowned Night-Herons, or simply Night Herons. It has a shorter beak, neck, and legs than other species.
The black crowns of adult Black-crowned Night-herons extend from a white line above their black beaks.
The lores (in front of the eye, towards the beak) are green-blue, and their eyes are red. Underneath, they’re white, but the back is darker. Their yellow leg and foot give them the appearance of a bird.
The head and back become glossy blue-green during the breeding season, with two or three white feathers appearing on the crown. Legs and feet become red or pink, and the lores also turn black.
The overall color of juveniles is a dull grayish-brown with streaking and spots.
- Nycticorax nycticorax
- Length: 25 – 28 in (64 – 71 cm)
- Weight: 38.8 oz (1100 g)
- Wingspan: 44 – 45 in (112 – 114 cm)
The world of black-crowned night-herons is enormous. They breed in the United States and Canada before going south, in North America. Along the coasts, some survive all year.
Wetland habitats 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 stimulate them.
Black-crowned Night-herons are night feeders who consume crayfish and fish, as well as turtles or worms, when they can find them.
In preparation for selecting their mates, Black-crowned Night-heron males build nests in bushes or trees, which are initiated by the males.
After laying up to seven eggs at 2-day intervals, the female will stop. For about twenty-four days after the eggs are laid, both parents begin to incubate them. For roughly three weeks, the parents will be responsible for 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.
5. Snowy Egret
From April to October, you may see snowy egrets along the shore of Ohio during the breeding season. Summer checklists include them at a rate of 1%.
The Little, All-White Egrets are small, all-white herons named as such. Their irises are yellow, and their skin is around their eye is long, with black beaks and black legs. They have bright yellow feet.
Long, lacy feathers grow on their heads, necks, and backs throughout the breeding season. During courting, their lores and cheeks develop a reddish-pink coloration, while their toes develop an orange-red coloration.
Surprisingly, during violent encounters, these regions of their bodies become spectacular red.
Adults have head plumes, but juveniles do not. Their lores and legs are more greenish-yellow, and their bills and legs are lighter in color.
- 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 the United States. Throughout Mexico, Central, and South America, they are found throughout the year.
Snowy Egrets may be found in marshes, riverbanks, lakesides, pools, salt marshes, and estuaries as well as shallow wetland environments. They prefer marshlands with protective trees and shrubs for nesting.
Fish, crustaceans, snails, frogs, and crayfish are all hunted by snowy egrets in shallow water. They might remain dormant, passively waiting for prey to come to them, or they might stir up the water in order for their prey to easier see them.
The males pick the nests of Snowy Egrets. They choose a spot and advertise themselves to potential mates by going fully visible. The males continue to furnish sticks, sedges, or reeds for the females as they pair up.
Nesting habits vary, with trees and shrubs on the ground being common. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs, which are laid by the female two to six times. The incubation period is normally around twenty-four days.
Fun Fact: Because of their exquisite white head feathers, snowy egrets were on the verge of extinction. They were nearly hunted down because of how nicely they matched women’s hats.
6. American Bittern
From April to May and October, American Bitterns are most frequently seen in Ohio.
In the spring of the American Bittern, if you’re lucky, you’ll hear their strange watery boom calls long before they appear. Below are some of the videos you may want to check out.
The Heron family includes American Bitterns, which are chunky, medium-sized birds.
Because of their brown striped and mottled patterning, as well as the fact that they can remain stationary among the reeds with their head up, they resemble reeds.
They have short legs and yellow eyes that turn orange during courtship.
- 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.
Shallow, freshwater marshes and wetlands with tall reeds are virtually home to American Bitterns.
To discover them, keep your eyes trained on 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 stealthily forage among the reeds, remaining motionless and quiet until their victim gets closer, when they dart forward quickly to capture them in their bills.
On the water, among coarse vegetation, you may find American Bittern nests. Females pick a location on the ground and construct their nest with whatever materials they can find, such as reeds, sedges, cattails, and so on.
They produce around twenty-six eggs, which are incubated for around twenty-six days. The females feed the chicks directly into their beaks when they are born. They fly the nest after two weeks and are fully fledged at six to seven weeks.
Fun Fact: Like the reeds that conceal them to disguise themselves, American Bitterns point upwards and sway gently from side to side.
7. Least Bittern
Throughout the breeding season, from April to October, Least Bitterns may be found along Ohio’s coast.
The tiniest herons in the Americas are Least Bitterns, which are difficult to locate in the reeds because they are so small.
Their yellow beak is topped by a dark cap and has brown and white hues. They have lengthy toes and fingernails, which they use to grasp the reeds.
The backs and crowns of adult females and juvenile males are similar to those of males.
- Ixobrychus exilis
- Length: 11 – 14 in (28 – 36 cm)
- Weight: 3 oz (85 g)
- Wingspan: 16 – 18 in (41 – 46 cm)
The Bitterns’ typical range is Europe and Africa, although they may wander into North America on occasion.
Least Bitterns may be found in damp meadows with plenty of tall cattails and reeds in both fresh and brackish water. When they perch on reeds, look for them.
They’ll immediately freeze, raise their bills to the sky, and sway in time with the reeds when they sense danger.
Little fish, frogs, tadpoles, salamanders, slugs, dragonflies, aquatic bugs, and occasionally mice are among the foods eaten by Least Bitterns. They sit on the reeds, doing acrobatic twists and contortions to reach their victim on the water’s surface.
The female of the Least Bitterns constructs well-concealed platforms made of cattails and marsh vegetation. The eggs are laid by her and incubated for around twenty days by both parents. After that, they regurgitate food to feed newly hatched chicks.
Fun Fact: The necks of least bitterns are quite long, although they usually remain hunchbacked.
8. Little Blue Heron
Several Little Blue Herons breed in Ohio, with some of them migrating through the state.
Little Blue Herons, despite their name, are actually adults. They have long, elongated bodies and are medium to large in size. With dangling feathers across the nape, their heads and necks have a purple hue.
During the breeding season, their eyes can turn gray-green. Two-toned – pale blue or grayish with black tips – their long, dagger-like bills are two-toned. Slate-blue is the color of their corpses. Long and black to gray-green, their legs are long.
Before becoming a combination of dark gray, blue, and white, Juvenile Little Blue Herons are completely white throughout their first year.
Before becoming a combination of dark gray, blue, and white, Juvenile Little Blue Herons are completely 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 traveling south, Little Blue Herons breed in the Eastern United States, but they remain in the Gulf Coast and Mexico all year.
Little Blue Herons may be found near water, such as in bogs, marshes, ponds, streams, lagoons, tidal flats, canals, ditches, fish hatcheries, or flooded fields.
In comparison to other herons, Little Blue Herons forage in a more elegant manner. They simply stand and wait in shallow waters for their prey instead of dashing about across the water.
Little Blue Herons eat fish, frogs, snakes, turtles, spiders, crabs, mice, and insects for lunch. Adults prefer to go by themselves, while juveniles prefer to stay in mixed groups.
Little Blue Heron nests are constructed of sticks and, typically, other herons. The female can produce up to six eggs in a row. The incubation period is up to twenty-four days for both parents.
Fun Fact: Juvenile Little Blue Herons’ white coloring allows them to catch more fish and have extra protection against predators because they are housed among Snowy Egrets.
9. Cattle Egret
Cattle Egrets can be found in Ohio near Oak Harbor and Columbus, but some can be seen during migration.
Cattle Egrets have a smart way of catching their food: they stand on the backs of cattle, so when the cattle move and disturb the ground, they catch the disturbed prey.
Cattle Egrets are small, short-necked egrets with white bodies and pale orange-brown patches on their heads, necks, and backs.
Their irises and facial skin are yellow in color. They have short, yellow bills and greenish-black legs. Males and females appear to be the same person.
During the breeding season, Cattle Egrets brighten on their legs and face, changing color throughout the year.
Their pale orange patches become darker orange during the breeding season. At the height of their courting, their bills, legs, and irises become bright red, and their face skin 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 all throughout the globe, but those in Mexico, the Gulf Coast, and southern US states stay year-round.
After breeding, however, those that breed further north, mostly in the eastern United States, migrate south.
Cattle Egrets may be seen in open grasslands, feedlots, 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, but prefer to stay on land and atop cattle. Golf courses, lawns, athletic fields, dumps, and parks are also likely places to find them.
Insects, mainly grasshoppers, crickets, flies, beetles, and moths are Cattle Egrets’ primary food. Spiders, frogs, small snakes, lizards, earthworms, and fish are among the animals they consume.
Cattle Egret nests are usually constructed in woodlands near lakes or rivers, marshes, or tiny islands. They are made of sticks and reeds and are built in colonies.
Females lay up to nine eggs, which they incubate for around twenty-five days. The young take roughly 45 days to develop, fledge, and completely separate themselves from their parents.
Fun Fact: In order to judge distance to capture prey on land rather than adjust for refraction, the Cattle Egret’s eyes have evolved binocular vision.
10. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Although yellow-crowned night-herons are scarce in Ohio, during migration they have been observed.
Yellow crowns with two plumes protruding from their heads distinguish adult Yellow-crowned Night Herons. Their large bills are all black in color. The sides of their heads below their eyes are covered with a small white patch.
As they grew up, their eyes became red and alternated between yellow, orange, and red.
Their wings have a scaled pattern and their bodies are gray-blue. During the breeding season, their legs grow longer and turn coral, pink, or red.
Grayish-brown with white streaks and spots, juveniles begin as grayish-brown all over. It takes three years for them to reach adulthood.
- Nyctanassa violacea
- Length: 22 – 28 in (56 – 71 cm)
- Weight: 25.6 oz ( 726 g)
- Wingspan: 42 0 44 in (107 – 112 cm)
Before migrating south, yellow-crowned Night-herons are found primarily in southeastern US states. Throughout Mexico, the Caribbean, and northern South America, they stay throughout the year.
In coastal areas with a lot of crustaceans, shallow waters, and significant edges on which to feed, you can find Yellow-crowned Night-herons at dawn and dusk.
The majority of Yellow-crowned Night-herons’ food is crustaceans, including crabs and crayfish. Fish, insects, worms, mollusks, lizards, snakes, rodents, and birds are among the other foods they consume. They can instantly swallow small prey.
Crabs are frequently dismembered or stabbed through their bodies with a knife.
Nests of Yellow-crowned Night-herons are frequently found in small, loose colonies, but they always build nests near water. Both parents make nests from sticks and twigs that are soft with grass, leaves, or moss.
She then lays up to eight eggs, which they incubate together for about three weeks. The chicks are fed on regurgitation when they hatch. They fly on their own at fifty days after fleeing in about a month.
Fun Fact: The yellow-crowned Night-heron can carry a deadly mosquito-borne virus (eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) virus) that can be deadly to horses and humans.
11. Tricolored Heron
Tricolored Herons are a rare or accidental species in Ohio, but they were recently spotted in Maumee Bay State Park in 2022.
With its white belly and neck stripe, you can quickly tell a Tricolored Herons apart from other herons.
Blue-gray, purple, and white feathers are common among non-breeding adults. Their bills are yellowish or greyish in color and have a black tip. Their legs and feet are yellow or olive green in color.
Breeding adults also have thin, white feathers extending from the back of their heads, and the base of their bill turns blue. They also have more fine feathers on their necks and back. Their legs also turn a reddish color.
Juveniles have a reddish-brown appearance, particularly in their neck, upper breasts, upper back, and wings.
- Egretta tricolor
- Length: 24 – 26 in (61 – 66 cm)
- Weight: 14.6 oz (414 g)
- Wingspan: 36 in (91 cm)
Tricolored Herons can be found along the Gulf Coast, Mexico, and northern South America all year. Those that migrate further north along the Atlantic Coast migrate south.
Tricolored Herons can be found in freshwater and brackish marshes, estuaries, and coastal tidal pools or swamps, among other places.
Tricolored Herons are territorial birds that defend their feeding areas. They’ll chase away other wading birds that are attempting to feed on their territory, and they’ll eat small fish, frogs, crustaceans, and insects.
Tricolored Heron nests are constructed of sticks and may be found in trees and shrubs in colonies. The mother and father share in the incubation of the eggs, which take three weeks to hatch, and the female lays three to five eggs. The young are also feed by both of them.
Fun Fact: The Tricolored Heron was originally known as the Louisiana heron and is the only dark-colored heron with a white belly.
12. Reddish Egret
Reddish Egrets are a near-threatened and accidental species in Ohio, and they were last spotted in 2014 around Columbus Upground Reservoir, according to records.
Reddish Egrets’ dusky pink and grayish-blue tones, as well as their energetic racing about to catch fish, certainly make them one of the best birds to watch.
Reddish Egrets come in both dark and light varieties, but white varieties are uncommon. They are sometimes known as Reddish Egrets.
The bodies, necks, and breasts of dark morph Reddish Egrets are blue-gray with a cinnamon tone. Pink with a black tip, their bills are unique.
White morphs have completely white bodies. Their eyes are straw yellow, and their skin (lores) is darker, while their legs and feet are blue-black.
Juveniles can also be dark or white, and adults will choose either morph.
- Egretta rufescens
- Length: 27 – 32 in (69 – 81 cm)
- Weight: 15.9 oz (451 g)
- Wingspan: 46 in (117 cm)
Reddish Egrets can be found all over the Gulf Coast, East Coast, and Mexico, as well as northern South America.
Reddish Egrets can be found on open marine flats and shorelines throughout the world. Marshes, shallow bays, and lagoons are also home to them.
Reddish Egrets are typically known for foraging and feeding on their own. In the hopes of catching fish, they speed across shallow, flooded flats. They stab fish with their beaks after they are successful in scaring them up.
Reddish Egret nests are frequently found in colonies and constructed of sticks by both parents. These species are generally found on isolated islands with nearby food sources.
The female lays seven eggs, which take twenty-five days to incubate. Both parents are involved in the process. They both care for the young even when they leave the nest, and they will feed their young for up to nine weeks.
Fun Fact: The male’s feathers puff out and stand out on its head, neck, and back during mating, and he will perform a head toss display and beak snapping.
How Frequently Herons Are Spotted In Ohio In Summer And Winter
The use of checklists to determine which birds are commonly spotted in your state is a great resource. These lists show which herons are most frequently recorded on checklists on the wing in the summer and winter of Ohio.
Herons in Ohio in summer:
Great Blue Heron 32.9%
Great Egret 16.4%
Green Heron 9.3%
Snowy Egret 1.7%
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1.4%
Least Bittern 0.7%
American Bittern 0.5%
Cattle Egret 0.2%
Little Blue Heron 0.2%
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 0.1%
Tricolored Heron <0.1%
Reddish Egret <0.1%
Herons in Ohio in winter:
Great Blue Heron 8.6%
Black-crowned Night-Heron 0.3%
Great Egret 0.1%
Cattle Egret <0.1%
Green Heron <0.1%
American Bittern <0.1%
Least Bittern <0.1%