Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias Flamingo Campground,
Everglades, Florida
March 2004 Photographed by: Amy Roosenberg
Descriptive Information
- Field marks: very large;
greyish-blue body; white head; dark stripe over eye; rare white morph found
only in S. Florida is all white with orange-pink bill and legs
- General habitat: marshes,
swamps, edges of rivers, lakes, and most bodies of water
- Geographic range: US,
north into Canada and S. Alaska, south into Mexico
- Ecosystem(s) where observed:
freshwater
marshes, mangrove swamps, shallow coastal waters and other water areas
Feeding Habits
- The Great Blue Heron usually
stands or walks slowly in shallow water watching for prey, then snatches
it up with its beak. It eats small fish, frogs, birds, insects, and
even small land animals. The heron may hunt on land or even in deeper
water by swimming or plunging. It may defend its feeding territory--an
area that can be several hundred square yards.
Links to Images
Links to Video
(This page developed by: Dana LaVanture)