Scientific Name:
Ardea herodias
Description
Wading bird (1.2 m/4 ft in length), with a range from southern Canada to Central America. The great blue heron has blue-gray plumage with a white cap and a long black stripe that extends from its yellow beak to the back of its head. It has long legs, wings, and neck.
Behaviors
Live and nest around lakes, ponds and oceans. Can be seen wading in the shallow water (or on kelp beds!) plunging their long beaks into the water to catch fish, reptiles and invertebrates.
Fun Facts
Great blue herons thrive around all kinds of water bodies including tropical swamps, desert rivers and even frozen water ways. They are also known to occasionally eat small mammals like gophers!
Nature Topics
Photo credit: ©Kip Evans
