Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodias
Heron family (Ardeidae)

Habitat:
Rivers, lake edges.

Description:
Large – stands 38” tall with a 70” wingspan.  Grayish-blue body, white head, black stripe over eye.  Usually stands motionless in shallow water and waits until prey comes within striking distance.  In flight – slow heavy and steady wing beats; no soaring; neck is curled, not fully extended.

Nesting:
Nests in colonies.  Builds nests in tops of tallest trees.  May travel as far as 10 miles from nest sites to foraging areas.  Eggs are pale bluish-green.  Clutch size – 2 to 6 eggs.  Nestlings engage in siblicide, killing each other in competition for food and space.

Voice:
Harsh guttural “frahnk” 

Name Origin:
Ardea, Latin for “heron”;
herodias, Greek for “heron”.

In the Nature Park:
Year-round resident.  Great Blue Herons regularly forage at the Quarry Pond but they are shy and are readily flushed from their foraging areas.  There are no known nest sites in the Nature Park.