Herons in Tennessee: Where to See Them and How to Identify Them

Your best odds are around wetlands, reservoirs, and slow-moving rivers. Reelfoot Lake in the northwest is a top spot because of its shallow, flooded cypress habitat. The Tennessee River Greenway near Chattanooga and the Hatchie River bottoms in west Tennessee also hold good numbers. State parks with large impoundments, like Radnor Lake, are reliable for great blues.

Herons are most active at dawn and dusk, especially in summer. Great blue herons stay all year across Tennessee, but look for little blue and tricolored herons from April to September. Spring migration (March-April) brings the highest species diversity. Wade along marshy edges in early morning light for your best look.

Herons fly with their necks folded into an S-shape, while cranes keep their necks straight. Egrets are essentially white herons, but note the bill color: great egrets have yellow bills, while great blue herons have grayish ones. The little blue heron is a slate-blue bird with a two-toned bill. Check leg color, too: great blues have dark legs, little blues have greenish ones. For more help, see our heron identification guide.

See our state animal guide for the next step.

The great blue heron is your year-round resident and most common. In summer you may see little blue herons, green herons, and occasionally a tricolored or black-crowned night heron. Yellow-crowned night herons are less common but show up near wooded swamps. The great egret is also regular, especially in western Tennessee. Visit the Tennessee wildlife page for a full checklist.

Herons like shallow water with fish and frogs. Look for them in lake margins, river backwaters, farm ponds, and flooded fields. They avoid fast currents. Cypress swamps in west Tennessee are ideal. In the eastern part of the state, reservoirs like Norris and Douglas have quiet coves that hold fish. Even small suburban ponds can attract a green heron if there's cover.