Little blue heron in Cuba

If you want to see a little blue heron in its natural habitat, visit the swamps, tidal flats and lake marshes of the US Gulf Coast, the Caribbean Islands and Central America. These herons often sit so still while hunting, they can be hard to see. The adults develop deep blue plumage, sometimes displaying purple feathers on their heads, and tiptoe around the shoreline on green legs. The chicks are born snowy white, which scientists suggest is a survival adaptation to help them blend in with cattle egrets and snowy egrets – both birds with bright white feathers – to enjoy the added safety of being in a large group.
© Sergey Uryadnikov/Alamy