Great
Blue Heron Ardea herodias
Year round resident of the katy prairie
Description: 39-52" (99-132
cm). W. 5'10" (1.8 m). A common large, mainly grayish
heron with a pale or yellowish bill. Often mistaken for a Sandhill
Crane,
but flies with its neck folded, not extended like that of a
crane.
Voice: A harsh squawk.
Habitat: Lakes, ponds, rivers, and marshes.
Nesting: 3-7 pale greenish-blue eggs placed on
a shallow platform of sticks lined with finer material, usually
in a tree but sometimes on the ground or concealed in a reedbed.
Nests in colonies.
Range: Breeds locally from coastal Alaska, south-central
Canada, and Nova Scotia south to Mexico and West Indies. Winters
as far north as southern Alaska, central United States, and southern
New England. Also in Galapagos Islands.
Discussion: An adaptable bird whose large size
enables it to feed on a variety of prey-from large fish and
frogs to mice, small birds, and insects. The Great Blue has one
of the
widest ranges of any North American heron. This wide choice
of food enables it to remain farther north during the winter
than
other species, wherever there is open water, although such
lingering birds may fall victim to severe weather. Most Great
Blues nest
in colonies in tall trees; their presence is often unsuspected
until the leaves fall and the groups of saucer-shaped nests
are exposed to view. In late summer young herons disperse widely
and
may be encountered at small ponds, in mountain waters, or even
in backyard pools-wherever fish are plentiful.
