Great Blue Heron

1. WHERE IT LIVES

The Great blue heron lives all over North America and Central America.
It does not like to live in mountains or desert because there is no water there for them to swim or catch fish.

2. APPEARANCE

They are about 4 feet tall and there is a length of seven feet between the tips of the wings. They weigh about 2.5 kg.
They have a long yellow bill.
An adult’s wings are blue-grey, so is their back.
They have a white head with a black cap and a long black plume.
They have long legs and have strong wings.

3. FOOD

The Great blue heron eats usually around fresh water.
They eat small fish and sometimes, they eat shellfish such as a crayfish, insects, rodents, amphibians (mostly frogs), reptiles, and other small birds.

4.PREDATORS

The Great Blue Heron are hunted and eaten by red-tailed hawks, black bears, eagles, crows, ravens, and raccoons.

5. THE YOUNG

The young are similar to the adults except that they have a grey patch on the top of their head, they have a dark upper bill, and rusty brown edging on their back feathers.
Another difference is that the young don’t have tail feathers

6. INTERESTING FACTS

A similar species to the great Blue Heron is the Great White Heron, which is found only in South Florida and the Caribbean.
It is also the largest species of heron in North America and lives up to 15 years.

7. OTHER GREAT BLUE HERON WEBSITES

Research done by Keenan & Bobby - 8I - CMJHS