Bird · GBIF taxon 9630752
Ardea herodias
ardea herodiasAlso known as Great White Heron, Blue Crane
Great blue herons stand as silent, statuesque sentinels along shorelines, waiting for the perfect moment to strike prey with lightning speed. During the breeding season, these majestic birds gather in noisy treetop colonies called rookeries, where they build large stick nests and perform elaborate courtship displays. Their harsh, croaking squawks sound prehistoric, echoing across wetlands at dawn and dusk.
Wading BirdWetlandsSolitary Hunter
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Fish
- Frogs
- Rodents
Predators
- Bald Eagles
- Raccoons
- Great Horned Owls
ThreatsHabitat loss, water pollution, human disturbance at nesting colonies, and pesticide runoff
HabitatsFreshwater and saltwater wetlands, marshes, swamps, lakes, rivers, and estuaries
Life span15 to 23 years in the wild
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderPelecaniformes
- FamilyArdeidae
- GenusArdea
- Speciesardea herodias
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Equipped with a sharp, dagger-like bill; keep a safe distance and never corner an injured bird.
- Why it is dangerous
- Possesses a powerful, razor-sharp bill that can be used defensively to strike at the eyes of perceived threats.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Recognizable by its massive size, blue-grey plumage, long legs, and a thick, yellow dagger-like bill.
- What to do
- Never attempt to handle or rescue a wild heron without professional training and heavy eye protection.
Responsible observation
- Watch the Hunt: Observe them from a distance as they freeze mid-step, waiting to spear fish with their bill.
- Respect Rookeries: Keep your distance during spring nesting to avoid causing parents to abandon their eggs.
- Listen for Calls: Listen for their deep, guttural squawks when they take flight or defend feeding territories.
Predator (c) Thibaud Aronson, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Thibaud Aronson · cc-by-sa
Close Relative "Photo of the Week - Great Egret at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge" by U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0. To view the terms, visit https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/. · cc0
Family Member (c) lwolfartist, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Family Member ramidos / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
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Ecosystem chain
Wetland Territory
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