Great Blue Herons
By Adelaide Keller
By Adelaide Keller
You may have seen at a pond, lake, or stream near yourself a tall, gangly, bluish-gray bird with a black stripe just above its eye wading in or standing at the water’s edge, almost like a statue. Most likely, you saw a great blue heron.
Great blue herons are the largest of the herons in North America - 38 to 54 inches in length and weighing 5 to 6 pounds (because of their hollow bones). They are easy to recognize with their long neck, bluish-gray color, and bright orangish-yellow beaks, and have a distinctive flying position, with their necks tucked into an s shape and their legs spread out behind them.
These herons eat mostly fish but will eat pretty much anything they can lunge at and catch including reptiles, amphibians, insects, and small mammals. They tend to grab smaller prey in their beak and spear larger animals, such as big fish. You can see them standing very still or slowly wading, looking for prey. When the moment is right, they will extend their necks, and grab their prey, which they gulp down.
Great blue herons mostly nest in trees in groups called “heronies”, but may also nest on bushes, the ground, or man-made structures, such as channel markers and nesting platforms. The males will collect the nesting materials and the females will build the nests, later laying her eggs - usually 2-6. Bother herons will take part in incubating the eggs - a 4 week process.
We can often see great blue herons in our area, especially since we live near the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. They may seem a little awkward and gangly at first, but they can also be fast and graceful in their movement. Next time you are at a pond, lake, or stream, look out for these fascinating birds.
Sources
BBC Wildlife - 11 striking facts about great blue herons: https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/birds/facts-about-great-blue-herons/
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology - Great Blue Heron: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron/overview
Image: https://tx.audubon.org/great-blue-heron-0
Great blue herons are the largest of the herons in North America - 38 to 54 inches in length and weighing 5 to 6 pounds (because of their hollow bones). They are easy to recognize with their long neck, bluish-gray color, and bright orangish-yellow beaks, and have a distinctive flying position, with their necks tucked into an s shape and their legs spread out behind them.
These herons eat mostly fish but will eat pretty much anything they can lunge at and catch including reptiles, amphibians, insects, and small mammals. They tend to grab smaller prey in their beak and spear larger animals, such as big fish. You can see them standing very still or slowly wading, looking for prey. When the moment is right, they will extend their necks, and grab their prey, which they gulp down.
Great blue herons mostly nest in trees in groups called “heronies”, but may also nest on bushes, the ground, or man-made structures, such as channel markers and nesting platforms. The males will collect the nesting materials and the females will build the nests, later laying her eggs - usually 2-6. Bother herons will take part in incubating the eggs - a 4 week process.
We can often see great blue herons in our area, especially since we live near the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. They may seem a little awkward and gangly at first, but they can also be fast and graceful in their movement. Next time you are at a pond, lake, or stream, look out for these fascinating birds.
Sources
BBC Wildlife - 11 striking facts about great blue herons: https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/birds/facts-about-great-blue-herons/
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology - Great Blue Heron: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron/overview
Image: https://tx.audubon.org/great-blue-heron-0