The great blue heron is named for its size and the grey-blue color on its wings, stomach, and back. This species has many fascinating things about it. So here are the top great blue heron facts.
It’s The Largest North American Heron
The great blue heron is a big bird it can stand over four feet tall and have a wingspan of six and a half feet wide. Its size earns it the title of the largest heron species in North America and also the third-largest in the world. The only bigger species are the white-bellied heron and the goliath heron.
The Great Blue Heron Has A Widespread Range
This species can be found over most of North America and even as far north as Alaska. During the winter migration months, the great blue heron can be seen in South America along with the Caribbean islands and Mexico.
An Adult Great Blue Heron Does Not Make For Easy Prey
Heron eggs along with young herons are eaten by several predators such as raccoons and opossums for example. However, the great blue heron’s size and ability to fight back with its long sharp beak mean that it’s not often preyed on even by the handful of animals that can eat herons.
It Is A Highly Adaptable Predator
The great blue heron is a predatory bird. It feeds mostly on fish but is also highly opportunistic. Small rodents, amphibians, reptiles, insects, and crustaceans also make up part of its diet. It successfully hunts and feeds in virtually all types of fresh and saltwater habitats.
The Great Blue Heron Is A Constant Hunter
It’s estimated that herons spend up to ninety percent of their waking hours hunting. This constant searching for food along with their skill at catching fish unfortunately means they are often considered to be backyard pond pests. Without the use of a heron decoy, pond netting, or another deterrent once a great blue heron has noticed a backyard pond, koi and other pond fish are often quickly eaten.
Great Blue Herons Breed In Heronries
During the breeding season, great blue herons will breed and nest in large colonies also sometimes called rookeries, or heronries. These often are made up of several hundred other great blue herons and sometimes other heron species as well.
Nests are built in trees, and sometimes on islands for added protection. They are typically close to water sources that serve as feeding grounds. However, despite breeding and nesting around many other birds, great blue herons are solitary feeders.
There Is An All-White Variety
One of the most interesting great blue heron facts for most people is that there is actually an all-white color variety. Appropriately known as the great white heron it is considered to be the same exact species but just a color morph. The great white heron is not widespread and resides only in the southern part of Florida, the Caribbean, and the Yucatan peninsula.
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