2K6 



KEY TO THE WATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 



Subgenus FLORIDA Baird. 



ARDEA CCERULEA Linn. 

 Little Blue Heron. 



(Adult.) 



Adjilt : Head and neck purplish red or maroon, rest of plumage grayish blue ; bill black at 

 the end ; basal portion and loral space blue ; legs and feet black. 



Immature birds ar€ pure white, except a iaint wash of grayish blue near the tip of the pri- 

 maries ; legs olive or yellowish and the basal half of the bill greenish. 



This species is sometimes confounded with the Snowy Egret, but may easily be distinguished 

 from that species by the slight wash of blue on the ends of the primaries and by the color of 

 the legs and bill. 



Length about 23; Wing, 11 ; Tarsus, 3.60. 



(Immature.) 



