About
The Great Blue Heron is North America's largest heron, standing over 130 cm tall with a wingspan of nearly 2 meters. Its patient hunting technique — standing motionless in shallow water for long periods before striking with lightning speed — is an exercise in natural elegance. The strike is powered by specialized vertebrae that store the neck in an S-shape, then release it like a coiled spring.
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Physical Characteristics
Wingspan
167–201 cm
Length
91–137 cm
Weight
2–3.6 kg
Ecology
Habitat
Freshwater and saltwater marshes, shores of lakes, rivers, coastal lagoons
Diet
Fish, frogs, salamanders, small mammals, insects
Distribution
North and Central America, Caribbean, Galápagos Islands