Fledglings of Estuary Birds

Young wading birds generally stay in or near their nests longer than small land birds (see 2019 Fledglings). The fledgling White Ibis, in the above photographs, remains in the nest for three weeks after hatching. After another week or two, it’s able to make short flights and is capable of sustained flight after six weeks. Here’s a fledged Green Heron, fishing alone from a dock, probably about two months old. 

One day in August, among a flock of ibises, I spotted other splotchy-colored fledglings — two immature Yellow-crowned Night Herons

Below are the two birds side by side. The bird on the left has its neck stretched to full length, while the one on the right is scrunched down and seated on the ground, feathers wet and spiky.

This next bird, a Snowy Egret, resembles the adult, having white feathers. Its legs are greenish, rather than black like the adult…

It takes about a year for immature wading birds to attain their adult plumage. In the case of the Little Blue Heron, the transition leaves the young bird with a mottled patchwork of blue and white feathers…

Immature Little Blue Heron

Here’s the adult plumage for comparison…

Little Blue Heron

Fledglings of another common estuary bird, the Canada Goose, start following their parents away from the nest only one or two days after hatching, beginning to feed themselves immediately. The family remains close together for about two months, until the young birds begin to fly. Here’s a fuzzy young gosling with its parent…


A bird does not change its feathers because the weather is bad.

Nigerian saying

Here are some other of my posts about young birds…

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