Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
Also called blue heron, crane.
Routinely called a crane, which it is not. The difference shows in flight: a heron folds its neck back into an S, while a crane flies with the neck straight out.
- Size
- Goose or large raptor — 97–137 cm
- Bill
- Long and probing
- Where
- water, marsh, coast
- Season
- year round
What it looks like
Very tall and grey-blue with a white face, a black plume running back from above the eye, a long heavy yellow bill and long dark legs.
The checks that confirm it
- Flies with the neck folded back onto the shoulders in a tight S.
- A long heavy yellow-orange bill.
- Black plume above and behind the white face.
- Stands motionless in shallow water for long periods.
Voice
A harsh, deep croak, usually given when flushed.
Attracting it
They will empty a garden pond of fish. Netting or a steep-sided pond edge is the only reliable deterrent.
Confused with
Flies with the neck straight out, has a red forehead, and a bustle of feathers over the tail.
Entirely white with a yellow bill and black legs.
Questions about this bird
How do you identify a great blue heron?
Flies with the neck folded back onto the shoulders in a tight S. A long heavy yellow-orange bill.
What does a great blue heron sound like?
A harsh, deep croak, usually given when flushed.
How do you attract a great blue heron?
They will empty a garden pond of fish. Netting or a steep-sided pond edge is the only reliable deterrent.