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Photo by John Hardison
Description: The Great Blue Heron is our largest heron getting to 46” and sometimes larger in height. They have a wingspan of about 72” and weigh around 5 lbs. Like all herons, egrets and bitterns, they have a long straight bill. As shown in this picture, they are gray in color with some white and black around the neck and head. The adults have black plumes.
Range: They are the most widely distributed heron and are found in Canada, North America, Mexico, South America, West Indies and even the Galapagos Islands. They winter in the south are found breeding in Arizona.
Food and Water: They are waders and like fresh water and even the brackish water of marshes, lakes, swamps and rivers. They mainly feed on fish, frogs and small mammals.
Predators: Their only predators are humans who shoot them or loggers who cut their trees down that they are using for nesting.
Breeding: They nest mainly in
colonies called heronries or rookeries set high in trees and once made
the nest may be used year after
year. The male finds the nesting site in March and if necessary builds
or rebuilds it. The nests are large, flat and made of interwoven
sticks. There’s usually a clutch of 3-5 eggs which are 2.5” and light
bluish green. The incubation period is 28 days before the chicks
are hatched. Both parents feed the young and they rapidly grow. By the
end of 7-8 weeks they are almost as large as the parents and
they fledge.
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