Wildlife Watching Wednesday: Great Blue Herons are Stealthy Hunters

By: Tom Berg

If there is one bird that is the personification of stealth and patience, it is the Great Blue Heron. These large, tall birds stalk shallow ponds, lakes and waterways in search of a wide variety of fish and amphibians as their next meal. It is not uncommon for them to stand motionless for many minutes at a time, just waiting for their prey to get within striking range. Sometimes they stand as still as a statue for 30 minutes!

Great Blue Herons are also the largest herons in North America, standing as high as 54 inches tall. They have an impressive wingspan of up to 79 inches, too – that’s approaching seven feet! These herons are a grayish-blue color, with a long, sharp yellow beak that they use to grab or spear their favorite foods.

Those favorite foods include fish - like minnows, bullheads and small sunfish, but also frogs, tadpoles, snakes, insects, mice and even other birds. They hunt with great stealth wherever there is shallow water, and stand motionless until their prey moves closer. Great Blue Herons can even hunt at night since they have fairly good night vision.

Herons gather in large groups during breeding season, usually building their nests high up in the trees.  These breeding colonies form what is called “heron rookeries”, and these rookeries are usually located in trees standing in the shallow waters of swamps or marshes. The standing water does a good job of deterring tree-climbing nest raiders like raccoons.

Great Blue Herons are fun to watch – as long as you have plenty of time and patience. If you notice the heron slowly leaning forward as it watches the water below intently, stick around to see if it catches a fish.  Just be prepared to wait a while.

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