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This juvenile Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) stands in a shallow Florida wetland, still clad in its all-white immature plumage. As it matures, its feathers will gradually darken to the slate-blue coloration of the adult. Found throughout the southeastern U.S. and the Caribbean, Little Blue Herons prefer freshwater and brackish wetlands, where they feed on fish, insects, and amphibians. The white coloration of juveniles is thought to help them integrate with groups of egrets, reducing predation and increasing foraging success.