Birds · Pelecaniformes · Ardeidae

Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodias

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The largest heron in North America, bluish grey in colour, with a heavy bill and a powerful voice. There is an entirely white morph, confined to the Florida Keys, which was long regarded as a separate species.

Weight

1.9 kg on average

Size

97 cm – 1.4 m

Lifespan

24 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

FreshwaterCarnivore Diurnal Colonial Bird Freshwater

42countries 80parks11same family

Fun facts

It forms a superspecies with the Eurasian grey heron and the South American cocoi heron: all three have almost identical skeletal morphology.
It usually stays completely still until it detects prey, and then strikes with lightning speed.
The white morph of the Florida Keys is known as the great white heron and is confused with the great egret.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Fresh and salt water wetlands across North America, where it stalks motionless in the shallows waiting for fish and crustaceans
Birth weight: 50 g at hatching
Sexual maturity: 22 months
Gestation / incubation: 28 days
Litter / clutch size: 4

Sources consulted: IUCN Red List; BirdLife DataZone (ficha Ardea herodias); Birds and Blooms; Avian Report