In the Spotlight, Tricolored Heron

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A spot of sunlight strikes this tricolored heron as it ruffles its feathers to get everything straightened out after preening. Tricolored herons live in southern and eastern North America, the coastal areas of Central America, the West Indies, along the South American coasts to Brazil at the mouth of the Amazon River, and in the Pacific Coast of northern Peru. These birds inhabit shores and shallow marshes, mudflats, mangroves, bays and swamps that have woodland cover since they often perch in trees.