Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodias

Poised to strike, this large heron stalks along American waterways in search of fish and other small animals. These widespread waterbirds are among the tallest of North America’s birds.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Great Blue Heron is a stately wading bird with predominantly blue-gray plumage, long legs, and an S-shaped neck. Its head is white with a black eyebrow stripe extending to a plume, and it has a long, dagger-like yellow bill.

Males and females look alike, although males are typically larger than females. Males also develop elongated plumes on their heads, necks, and backs during the breeding season. Juveniles are duller with a darker crown.

Size

Length

91cm to 137cm

Wingspan

167cm to 201cm

Weight

1.82kg to 2.7kg

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Blue Grey

Secondary Colour

White Black

Beak Colour

Yellow

Leg Colour

Brown

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Great Blue Heron is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Great Blue Heron is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Great Blue Heron can be found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Great Blue Heron can be found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Great Blue Heron is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Great Blue Heron is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Great Blue Heron is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Great Blue Heron is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Great Blue Heron is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Great Blue Heron is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Great Blue Heron is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Great Blue Heron is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Great Blue Herons inhabit various wetland habitats, including marshes, swamps, rivers, and coastal areas across North and Central America. They are found from southern Canada to northern South America, including the Caribbean.

In the United States, they are widespread and can be seen year-round in many areas, with northern populations moving south for winter. They are also present in parts of coastal Alaska during the summer months.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 2,600 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subtropical, Tropical

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Great Blue Heron. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons