Great blue herons have a lethal weapon built into their head--their beak
This majestic aviator is a great blue heron. With this month’s theme of “Zoomed In” you can get a good look at their decorative plumage. Great blue herons have a lethal weapon built into their head--their beak. The average beak is 5.5” long. When they hunt, they use this beak in tandem with their elongated neck. Great blue herons will remain motionless along the shoreline or the will wade in shallow water. When an unsuspecting fish swims too close, the great blue heron will explosively extend their neck and beak. This happens in the blink of an eye. Great blue herons are known to prey upon slower fish species such as catfish and sunfish.
What you can’t see is that this bird has an impressive six-foot wingspan. Above is a photo Ben took of a great blue heron in flight.
Great blue herons get their name from the blue-gray feathers that cover their body. Additionally, they have a decorate multicolor pattern of feathers on their neck. To ID this bird, look for the unique “crown” of feathers on their head. If you are close, you will note their fierce yellow eyes.
As Ben wrote in 2021, there is a subspecies of great blue heron in Florida that is all white. This subspecies is tall, growing to around 4.5’ in length, making it the largest of the herons in North America. Check out Ben’s photo and article on great blue herons.
This photo was taken at Fort De Soto Park near St. Petersburg, Florida. Fort De Soto is a popular stop along the “Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail”. The park is home to many species of birds, some of which we have written about in the past.
To ID this bird, look for the unique “crown” of feathers on their head
Did you know?
- Great blue herons typically lay 3-5 eggs.
- Their nests can be 100’ up in a tree!
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