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 (to be completed)

	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 (to be completed)

	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.