How to Identify aGreat Blue Heron
Ardea herodias · 38–54 in (97–137 cm)
Male vs. female
Male
Blue-gray body, a white face with a black head plume, a rusty thigh, and a heavy yellowish bill.
Female
Identical to the male in the field.
Male photo: DallasPenner / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Second photo: tsaiproject from Canada / Wikimedia, CC BY 2.0
Field marks
- Very tall and long-legged
- Blue-gray body with a black eyebrow plume
- Neck folded into an S in flight
- Long, spear-like yellow bill
Similar species
What it sounds like
A harsh, guttural croak, usually given as it flushes and flies off.
Behaviour that gives it away
Stands motionless for long periods then strikes with a sudden thrust, and flies with its neck folded back in an S.
Habitat & range
Marshes, lakeshores, rivers, and coasts across most of North America.
When you'll see it
Present all year in North America.
What it eats
Fish, frogs, and small animals, speared with a lightning strike of the neck.
Did you know?
It hunts by standing motionless for minutes, then striking faster than the eye can follow.
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