Great Blue Heron

The Great Blue Heron is the largest of the American herons. It lives in swamps, marshes, tide flats, and shores. It hunts in shallow water by spearing its prey with its long, sharp bill.

White Heron

White Herons are usually solitary and nocturnal. They hunt fish and other animals while wading in quiet waters.

Little Blue Heron

Little Blue Herons have all-white plumage through the first year, then turn dark. They are usually solitary and catch fish in shallow water. This little blue was spotted at James Hill Park in Gulfport, MS.

Great Blue Heron and Snowy Egret

These two birds wade in quiet waters at an Ocean Springs, Ms.harbor, hoping to catch fish or crabs.

Seagulls

Laughing gulls along with Bonaparte's, Ring-billed, Herrings, and Lesser Black-backed gulls can be found all along the Gulf Coast. They are gregarious and mix easily where food is plentiful. Most nest in groups on the ground.

Great Horned Owl

Great Horned Owls are found in many wooded habitats and can often be seen at dusk. Their song is a deep muffled hooting in rhythmic series. It hunts mammals (up to the size of a rabbit) from a perch.

Black Skimmers

Black Skimmers can be found in large groups on the beaches in Biloxi, MS. They have unmistakable markings and a distinctive, hollow, soft, nasal barking call. They forage for small fish by flying over shallow water with its lower mandible slicing the surface.

Brown Pelican

Brown pelicans are found along ocean shores and bays. Winter is a good time to go pelican-watching around the Ocean Springs harbors.

Brown Pelicans

Pelicans hunt fish with twisting plunge-dives from the air.

Brown Pelicans

A good place to see pelicans up close is in the Ocean Springs small craft harbor.

Brown Pelican

Adult nonbreeding pelicans sport beautiful yellow-feathered heads such as this one on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Brown Pelicans

Male and female pelicans look the same. The Brown Pelicans is on the U.S. endangered species list