In Maine, 19 species in 10 genera in 3 families have been reported. Click on a link below or scroll down for more information.
Family Pelecanidae (1 genus, 2 species)
Pelecanus (2 species)
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos - American White Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis - Brown Pelican
Family Ardeidae (6 genera, 13 species)
Botaurus (2 species)
Botaurus exilis - Least Bittern
Botaurus lentiginosus - American Bittern
Egretta (5 species)
Egretta caerulea - Little Blue Heron
Egretta tricolor - Tricolored Heron
Egretta thula - Snowy Egret
Egretta garzetta - Little Egret
Egretta gularis - Western Reef Heron
Nyctanassa (1 species)
Nyctanassa violacea - Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax (1 species)
Nycticorax nycticorax - Black-crowned Night Heron
Butorides (1 species)
Butorides virescens - Green Heron
Ardea (3 species)
Ardea alba - Great Egret
Ardea ibis - Western Cattle Egret
Ardea herodias - Great Blue Heron
Family Threskiornithidae (3 genera, 4 species)
Eudocimus (1 species)
Eudocimus albus - White Ibis
Plegadis (2 species)
Plegadis falcinellus - Glossy Ibis
Plegadis chihi - White-faced Ibis
Platalea (1 species)
Platalea ajaja - Roseate Spoonbill
Key to the families of Order Pelecaniformes reported in Maine
| char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| Pelecanidae | |||||
| Ardeidae | |||||
| Threskiornithidae |
Family Pelecanidae (Pelican Family)
Pelecanus (Pelican)
[information to be added]
Key to the species of Pelecanus reported in Maine
| char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| P. erythrorhynchos | |||||
| P. occidentalis |
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos (American White Pelican) - [information to be added]
Pelecanus occidentalis (Brown Pelican) - This species is rare in Maine.
Family Ardeidae (common name?)
Key to the genera of Family Ardeidae reported in Maine
| char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| Botaurus | |||||
| Egretta | |||||
| Nyctanassa | |||||
| Nycticorax | |||||
| Butorides | |||||
| Ardea |
Botaurus (Bittern)
[information to be added]
Key to the species of Botaurus reported in Maine
| char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| B. exilis | |||||
| Botaurus lentiginosus |
Botaurus exilis (Least Bittern) - [information to be added]
Botaurus lentiginosus (American Bittern) - [information to be added]
Egretta (Heron, Egret)
[information to be added]
Key to the species of Egretta reported in Maine
| char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| E. caerulea | |||||
| E. tricolor | |||||
| E. thula | |||||
| E. garzetta | |||||
| E. gularis |
Egretta caerulea (Little Blue Heron) - [information to be added]
Egretta tricolor (Tricolored Heron) - [information to be added]
Egretta thula (Snowy Egret)
(photograph by Lynn Lepley-Boschert; click on image to enlarge)
Egretta garzetta (Little Egret) - This species is rare in Maine.
Egretta gularis (Western Reef Heron) - This species is rare in Maine.
Nyctanassa (Night-Heron)
[information to be added]
Nyctanassa violacea (Yellow-crowned Night-Heron) - [information to be added]
Nycticorax (Night-Heron)
[information to be added]
Nycticorax nycticorax (Black-crowned Night-Heron) - [information to be added]
Butorides (Heron)
[information to be added]
Butorides virescens (Green Heron) - [information to be added]
Ardea (Egret, Heron)
[information to be added]
Key to the species of Ardea reported in Maine
| char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| A. alba | |||||
| A. ibis | |||||
| A. herodias |
Ardea alba (Great Egret) - [information to be added]
Ardea ibis (Western Cattle Egret) - [information to be added]
Ardea herodias (Great Blue Heron)
(click on an image to enlarge)
Family Threskiornithidae (common name?)
Key to the genera of Family Threskiornithidae reported in Maine
| char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| Eudocimus | |||||
| Plegadis | |||||
| Platalea |
Eudocimus (Ibis)
[information to be added]
Eudocimus albus (White Ibis) - This species is rare in Maine.
Plegadis (Ibis)
[information to be added]
Key to the species of Plegadis reported in Maine
| char. 1 | char. 2 | char. 3 | char. 4 | char. 5 | |
| P. falcinellus | |||||
| P. chihi |
Plegadis falcinellus (Glossy Ibis) - [information to be added]
Plegadis chihi (White-faced Ibis) - This species is rare in Maine.
Platalea (Spoonbill)
[information to be added]
Platalea ajaja (Roseate Spoonbill) - This species is rare in Maine.