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WetlandPlatform nestHuge · 2.5 kg
What the Great Blue Heron sounds like
ID tip
The great blue heron is the largest heron native to North America. Among all extant herons, it is surpassed in size only by the Goliath heron (Ardea goliath) and the White-bellied heron (Ardea insignis). It exhibits a minor degree of sexual dimorphism; males are slightly larger than females, but otherwise the sexes are not easily outwardly distinguishable. It has a head-to-tail length of 91–137 cm (36–54 in), a wingspan of 167–201 cm (66–79 in), a height of 115–138 cm (45–54 in), and a weight of 1.82–3.6 kg (4.0–7.9 lb). In British Columbia, adult males averaged 2.48 kg (5.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Great Blue Heron
One bar for each month, and every month is filled: this bird is recorded here in all twelve. The wide bar is May, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Great Blue Heron
The map shades 44 countries with regular records, and 3 more in a lighter tone where the bird turns up only as a stray. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
Recorded as a rare visitor in United Kingdom, Iceland, France.
About the Great Blue Heron
The great blue heron is a large wading bird in the heron family (Ardeidae), common near shores of open water and wetlands over most of North and Central America, as well as Northwestern South America, the Caribbean, and the Galápagos Islands. It is occasionally found in the Azores and is a rare vagrant to Europe. An all-white population found in South Florida and the Florida Keys is known as the great white heron. Debate exists about whether these white birds are a color morph of the great blue heron, a subspecies of it, or an entirely separate species.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Great EgretArdea albaThe great egret is a large heron with all-white plumage.
Grey HeronArdea cinereaThe grey heron is a large bird, standing up to 100 cm (40 in) tall and measuring 84–102 cm (33–40 in) long with a 155–195 cm (61–77 in) wingspan.
Western Cattle EgretArdea ibisThe cattle egret is a stocky heron with an 88–96 cm (35–38 in) wingspan; it is 46–56 cm (18–22 in) long and weighs 270–512 g (9.5–18.1 oz).
Side by side: Great Blue Heron vs Great Egret · Great Blue Heron vs Grey Heron · Great Blue Heron vs Western Cattle Egret
Watch the Great Blue Heron on live cams
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Learn the Great Blue Heron in the BeakBrain App
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