All Herons In Washington (Photos, Calls, ID)

In Washington, five of the 17 species of herons that live in North America have been seen. There are four more that are uncommon or unintentional. This guide will aid you identify and understand more about these long-legged birds.

Herons are water-loving birds that may be found peering into your pond for a quick meal in both saltwater and freshwater.

However, many of your fish herons are protected, so a net is your best option if you’re having difficulty.

Herons are often found nesting in huge colonies called heronries, but they prefer to hunt independently by remaining motionless and waiting or dashing about.

A collection of herons is known by a variety of names, including “rookery,” “battery,” “hedge,” “siege,” and various phrases such as “pose” and “scatter.”

You should learn more about the ducks, swans, and pelicans that you may see here if you like seeing waterbirds in Washington.

Table of Contents

9 Species Of Heron In Washington

1. Great Blue Heron

The largest heron native to North America, Great Blue Herons are huge, majestic birds.

Their faces are white, with a black plume that stretches from the front of their eyes to the back of their heads. They have a yellowish-orangish bill.

Grayish-blue bodies with long gray legs, they have long gray 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 throughout the year, but they migrate south to breed in the Mid-West and Canada.

The Great White Heron, a white morph subspecies of the Great Blue Heron, is found in Florida.

Great Blue Herons can be found in a variety of wetland habitats. Fresh and saltwater marshes, mangrove swamps, flooded marshes, lake borders, and seashores are all places where they may be found.

Fish, frogs, salamanders, shrimps, crabs, dragonflies, grasshoppers, and other aquatic insects are the main diet of Great Blue Herons.

While wading or standing in the water, they capture their prey. Hovering above water, diving into it, leaping feet-first from perches, and floating on the surface are all examples of hovering.

Great Blue Heron colonies are located in trees near water, with nests high up. Twigs and sticks are lined with softer material to construct the nests.

Since Great Blue Herons reuse their nests, the nests may expand in size over time as they are repaired and added to.

Since Great Blue Herons reuse their nests, they may expand them over time by repairing and rebuilding them.

After that, the female produces two to seven eggs. For roughly four weeks, both parents alternate between incubating the eggs.

Fun Fact: With their heads flung back, Great Blue Herons defend their feeding grounds with spectacular wing-extended displays.

2. Great Egret

The Great Egrets breed in Washington, and during the winter, they congregate near the state’s west coast. They’re found in 1% of summer and winter checklists.

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 during the breeding season. Males display them off in a similar fashion as a peacock does with his tail.

These are huge, flightless white herons, and they’re often referred to as Great White Herons. Common egrets is another name for them. White with dagger-like, long, brilliant yellow beaks and long, black legs and feet, these huge birds are magnificent.

Males, females, and juvenile non-breeding birds are all similar.

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 global range is enormous. Those in the southern and coastal United States stay throughout the year, but those in Canada migrate south during winter.

Great Egrets may be found in both freshwater and saltwater marshes, as well as fish ponds.

Fish, frogs, small mammals, crustaceans, and insects make up the majority of the diet of Great Egrets. Great Egrets will stand motionless on the water, waiting and scouting for their meal before striking and spearing it with their long bills.

The colonies of Great Egrets have nests. To keep the nests safe from predators like raccoons, they are generally placed high up in trees, preferably on islands.

Sticks, twigs, and marsh plant stems are used to make them. The females lay six eggs, and the parents incubate them for roughly twenty-five days together.

Fun Fact: The Great Egret was on the verge of extinction because of its long white feathers (aigrettes). They were mostly used to embellish ladies’ hats.

3. Green Heron

From mid-April to October, Green Herons are seen in up to 2% of checklists in Washington, where they spend the breeding season.

Due to the glossy green-black sheen of their crowns, crests, backs, and wings from a distance, Green Herons are called such, but you have to get up close to see how hunchbacked and black they appear.

During the breeding season, their bills turn black, which are two-toned and have a dark top and a yellow bottom. Their eyes and legs become orange as well.

Chestnut or maroon are the colors of their heads, necks, and breasts. A white stripe runs down the neck from the head to the tail. Gray is the color of their bellies.

Browner, with black caps and a crest on the juveniles.

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 nest mostly in the eastern United States and the Pacific Coast. Those, however, remain year-round along the Gulf Coast, the Caribbean, and Mexico.

Swamps, marshes, lakes, ponds, and other wet habitats with dense vegetation are home to Green Herons. They may stay in arid woods or orchards instead of coastal and inland wetlands, depending on nearby water sources.

Little fish, insects, spiders, crustaceans, snails, amphibians, reptiles, and rodents make up the Green Heron’s diet. Instead of wading, they commonly hunt from the shore by perching on sticks over the water.

Green Heron nests are built on high in the trees over water, but some may also conceal them on the ground, hidden beneath branches.

Females lay two to six eggs every two days, spaced out by two days. Only after the final egg is deposited does incubation begin, and it takes roughly twenty days to complete. When their eggs hatch, they both feed their offspring.

Fun Facts: Bait, such as bread, feathers, twigs, and leaves are used by green herons to catch their prey, making them one of the few bird species that does so. (Davis and Kushlan, 1994)

4. American Bittern

During the breeding season, Washington’s American Bitters are most often seen, but they are most common from May to mid-June. At this time, they are seen on 1% of checklists.

In the spring of the American Bittern, if you’re lucky, you’ll hear their bizarre watery boom calls before they arrive. Below are some links to check out.

Because of their brown striped and mottled patterning, as well as their ability to stay motionless amid the reeds with their head tilted 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.

In shallow, freshwater marshes and wetlands with tall reeds, you may typically find American Bitterns.

To find them, keep your eyes trained on the shores of lakes and ponds amid the dense vegetation.

Fish, crustaceans, insects, amphibians, and small mammals make up the diet of American Bitterns. They wait quietly and still among the reeds, waiting for their prey to approach before darting forward quickly to swallow them in their bills.

On the water, among coarse vegetation, you may find nests of American Bitterns. Females select a suitable location, construct the nest by using available reeds, sedges, cattails, and other plants.

They deposited seven eggs, which are incubated for around twenty-six days. Females feed the chicks straight into their mouths when they are hatched. They leave the nest after two weeks and are fully fledged in six to seven weeks.

Fun Fact: Just like the reeds that conceal them, American Bitterns point upwards and sway gently from side to side.

5. Black-crowned Night-Heron

From May to mid-September, Black-crowned Night-Herons breed in Washington’s southeast, where they can be found.

The typical description of the heron family does not apply to Black-crowned Night-Herons, also known as Night Herons. It has a shorter beak, neck, and legs than most other species.

Black caps that 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 underside is white, whereas the rear is darker. Yellow is the color of their legs and feet.

The head and rear of the bird turn glossy blue-green during the breeding season, with two or three white feathers appearing on the crown. Legs and feet turn red or pink, while the lores turn black.

The juveniles have a dull greyish-brown coloration with streaking and speckling.

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. They breed in the United States and Canada before moving south in North America. Along the coasts, some may be found year-round.

In wetland environments such as shallow freshwater or brackish rivers, you may see Black-crowned Night-herons. Artificial habitats such as reservoirs, canals, and fish ponds are also utilized to them.

Night-feeders like black-crowned nightherons, which eat everything from crayfish and fish to turtles and worms.

In preparation for selecting their mates, male Black-crowned Night-herons begin nests by building them in bushes or trees.

The female will lay up to seven eggs over the next two days. For roughly twenty-four days, both parents begin to incubate the eggs. For roughly three weeks, the parents will care for their babies.

Fun Fact: For more than a century, the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., has hosted a colony of Black-crowned Night-herons during the summer.

6. Snowy Egret

In Washington, snowy egrets are considered uncommon or accidental, but they were seen in Asotin and Walla Walla in 2022.

Little, all-white herons dubbed Snowy Egrets because of their name. Long, black bills, long, black legs, and bright yellow feet characterize them. They have yellow irises and skin around their eye.

Long, lacy feathers grow on their heads, necks, and backs during the breeding season. During courting, their lores or facial skin turn reddish-pink, and their toes turn orange-red.

Interestingly, during aggressive encounters, these regions of their bodies become dazzling red.

Adults have head plumes, but juveniles do not. Lores and legs are more greenish-yellow, and the colors on their bills and legs are lighter as well.

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 from all US states. Throughout Mexico, Central and South America, they stay throughout the year.

Snowy Egrets may be found in marshes, riverbanks, lakesides, pools, salt marshes, and estuaries. They prefer shallow freshwater environments. Swamp woodlands with protective trees and plants are their favorite places to nest.

Fish, crustaceans, snails, frogs, and crayfish are all hunted by snowy egrets in shallow water. They can rest still and wait for prey to arrive, or they can stir the water to make it easier for them to seize their prey when it arrives.

Males pick the nests of Snowy Egrets. They choose a location and go on display to attract their potential partners. The males continue to give sticks, sedges, or reeds to the females when they pair up.

Nests are usually found on the ground, hidden among shrubs or in trees. The female lays two to six eggs, and both parents incubate them at the same time. The incubation period is usually twenty-four days.

Fun Fact: Because of their stunning white head feathers, which were commonly used as a hat embellishment or accessory, snowy egrets were nearly hunted to extinction.

7. Cattle Egret

In Washington, Cattle Egrets are an unusual and accidental species. In 2019, they were last seen at Marymoor Park.

Cattle Egrets utilize a clever technique of capturing their meal…they stand on the backs of the animals, catching the disturbed prey as they move and disturb the earth.

Cattle Egrets have white bodies and light orange-brown markings on their heads, shoulders, and backs. They are tiny, short-necked egrets.

Their eyes and skin on their face are yellow. Their bills are small and their legs are greenish-black. Males and females have a similar appearance.

Cattle Egret coloration alters throughout the year, becoming more vibrant in particular on the limbs and face during breeding season.

Their pale orange patches darken during the breeding season. At the height of their courting, their bills, legs, and irises turn 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 seen all year in the south of Mexico, the Gulf Coast, and southern states of the United States.

After mating, though, those that breed farther north, mostly in the eastern United States, migrate south.

Cattle Egrets may be found in native grasslands, farmland, and rice fields, especially near to hoofed animal habitat.

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 good places to look 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 also eaten by them.

Cattle Egret nests are commonly created in woodlands near lakes or rivers, in swamps, or on minor islands and are constructed of sticks and reeds.

The female lays up to nine eggs and keeps them warm for around twenty-five days while they are incubated. The young take roughly 45 days to grow, fledge, and become completely independent of their parents.

Fun Fact: Instead of correcting for light refraction when feeding in water, the Cattle Egret’s eyes have evolved to allow it to forage on land by having binocular vision.

8. Little Blue Heron

In Washington, Little Blue Herons are an accidental species. They were last seen in the Skagit Wildlife Area in 2014, and they are extremely rare in the state.

Little Blue Herons are not really that little, after all. With long, elongated bodies, they range in size from medium to large. With dangling feathers across the nape, their heads and necks have a purple hue.

During the breeding season, their eyes might turn grey-green and be light yellow. Their two-toned bills are long and dagger-like, with black tips on the pale blue or grayish side. Slate-blue skin covers their bodies. They have dark to gray-green legs that are long.

Before becoming a mix of dark gray, blue, and white, juvenile Little Blue Herons are completely white throughout 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 moving south, Little Blue Herons breed in the eastern United States, but those in the Gulf Coast and Mexico do so throughout the year.

Little Blue Herons may be found around water, 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 elegant manner. Instead of racing about in the sea, they simply wait in shallow water for their prey to arrive.

Fish, frogs, snakes, turtles, spiders, crustaceans, mice, and insects make up the diet of Little Blue Herons. Adults prefer to go it alone, whereas youngsters prefer to remain in mixed groups.

Little Blue Herons build nests out of sticks and, in most cases, with other herons. Up to six eggs are laid by the female. For up to twenty-four days, both parents incubate the eggs.

Fun Fact: Juvenile Little Blue Herons’ presence among Snowy Egrets allows them to catch more fish and provide additional protection against predators because of their white coloring.

9. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

In Washington, yellow-crowned night-herons are an accidental species, and they have not been seen here in a long time, according to records.

Yellow crowns with two plumes protruding from their heads distinguish adult Yellow-crowned Night Herons. Their bills are large and black. Their remaining heads are black, with a little white patch on the sides below their eyes.

As they develop, their eyes turn yellow, orange, and finally red.

Their wings have a scaled pattern, and their bodies are gray-blue. During the breeding season, their legs become coral, pink, or red and are covered in yellow.

Grayish-brown with white streaks and spots, juveniles begin as grayish-brown. They grow up to three years before they 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 going south, yellow-crowned night-herons breed primarily in the southeastern United States. Throughout Mexico, the Caribbean, and northern South America, they stay throughout the year.

In coastal regions with a lot of crustaceans, shallow waters, and suitable feeding sites, you may see Yellow-crowned Night-herons both at daybreak and dusk.

Crabs and crayfish make up the majority of the Yellow-crowned Night-heron’s diet. Fish, insects, worms, mollusks, lizards, snakes, rats, and birds are also consumed by them. Little prey is digested instantly by these predators.

Crabs are often dismembered or stabbed in their bodies.

Yellow-crowned Night-herons build nests near water, and they build small, loose colonies. Both parents make nests out of soft sticks and twigs that have been treated with grass, leaves, or moss.

After that, she lays up to eight eggs and keeps them together for three weeks while they hatch. The chicks are fed by regurgitation after they hatch. They fledge after around a month, and at fifty days old, they can fly on their own.

Fun Fact: The eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) virus, which can kill horses and people, is carried by yellow-crowned night-herons.

How Frequently Herons Are Spotted In Washington In Summer And Winter

To find out which birds are commonly seen in your state, use checklists. In summer and winter in Washington, these lists reveal which herons are most often seen on checklists.

Herons in Washington in summer:

Great Blue Heron 19.0%

Great Egret 1.8%

American Bittern 1.0%

Green Heron 0.9%

Black-crowned Night-Heron 0.5%

Snowy Egret <0.1%

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron <0.1%

Cattle Egret <0.1%

Little Blue Heron <0.1%

Herons in Washington in winter: