Central West Virginia's Guide To Life

KNOWING NATURE 
By Bill Church 

10/07 The Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias

Family: Ardeidae, Herons, Egrets, Bitterns

Description 39-52" W. 5'10"

A common large, mainly grayish heron with a pale or yellowish bill. Often mistaken for a Sandhill Crane, the heron flies with its neck folded, not extended like that of a crane. In southern Florida an all-white form, "Great White Heron," differs from the Great Egret in being larger, with greenish-yellow rather than black legs. The Great Blue Heron is commonly seen in lakes, ponds, rivers, and marshes.

Nests include 3-7 pale greenish-blue eggs placed on a shallow platform of sticks lined with finer material. Usually Blue Hersons will nest in a tree, but sometimes on the ground or concealed in a reed bed. Blue Herons tend to nest in colonies.

These herons breed locally from coastal Alaska, south-central Canada, and Nova Scotia south to Mexico and West Indies. Great Blue Herons winter as far north as southern Alaska, central United States, and southern New England. Also in the Galapagos Islands.

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.

Although Great Blues nest in colonies in tall trees; their presence is often unsuspected until the leaves fall and groups of saucer-shaped nests are exposed to view. In late summer young herons disperse and may be encountered at small ponds, in mountain waters, or even in backyard pools, wherever fish are plentiful.

Bill Church is a certified WV Master Naturalist and herbalist, and has trained with Tom Brown (world reknown tracker). He has published a book, called “Medicinal Plants, Trees, & Shrubs of Appalachia”; and is a network and computer specialist at Glenville State College. Articles are courtesy of the Gilmer County Master Naturalist Association.