The great blue heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America, as well as far northwestern South America, the Caribbean and the Galápagos Islands. Great Blue Herons occupy a variety of habitats in fresh water and marine coastal ecosystems: lakes, ponds, rivers, flooded farmlands and meadows, irrigation ditches, and wetlands. Nesting sites require tall trees, such as are found in wooded swamps. Nests are often on islands safe from predators. Their diet consists mainly of small fish, though they have also been observed feeding on shrimp, crabs, aquatic insects, small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. Herons locate their food by sight and usually swallow it whole. Great Blue Herons are most vocal on the breeding grounds, where they greet their partner with squawking roh-roh-rohs in a “landing call” when arriving at the nest. A disturbance can trigger a series of clucking go-go-gos, building to a rapid frawnk squawk that can last up to 20 seconds. If directly threatened, birds react with a screaming awk lasting just over 2 seconds. Chicks give a tik-tik-tik call within minutes of hatching. Both male and female Great Blue Herons snap their bill tips together as part of breeding and territorial displays, a behavior that may be analogous to a songbird’s territorial song. Paired birds often “clapper” at each other, chattering the tips of the bill together. Here is a link so you can hear their funky sounds.
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Great Blue Heron
The great blue heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America, as well as far northwestern South America, the Caribbean and the Galápagos Islands. Great Blue Herons occupy a variety of habitats in fresh water and marine coastal ecosystems: lakes, ponds, rivers, flooded farmlands and meadows, irrigation ditches, and wetlands. Nesting sites require tall trees, such as are found in wooded swamps. Nests are often on islands safe from predators. Their diet consists mainly of small fish, though they have also been observed feeding on shrimp, crabs, aquatic insects, small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. Herons locate their food by sight and usually swallow it whole. Great Blue Herons are most vocal on the breeding grounds, where they greet their partner with squawking roh-roh-rohs in a “landing call” when arriving at the nest. A disturbance can trigger a series of clucking go-go-gos, building to a rapid frawnk squawk that can last up to 20 seconds. If directly threatened, birds react with a screaming awk lasting just over 2 seconds. Chicks give a tik-tik-tik call within minutes of hatching. Both male and female Great Blue Herons snap their bill tips together as part of breeding and territorial displays, a behavior that may be analogous to a songbird’s territorial song. Paired birds often “clapper” at each other, chattering the tips of the bill together. Here is a link so you can hear their funky sounds.