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What the sources say

Great Blue HeronArdea herodias

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Great Blue Heron profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 42 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020

Ardea herodias. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T181500967A181565357.

The page saysLeast Concern
The source saysLeast ConcernNote: GBIF's copy of the Red List checked: LC for Ardea herodias, taxon 181500967
The page saysThe Red List rates the species Least Concern.
The source saysLeast ConcernNote: GBIF's copy of the Red List checked: LC for Ardea herodias, taxon 181500967

Source
02

Audubon Guide to North American Birds

Great Blue Heron. Audubon Guide to North American Birds.

The page saysWaits in shallow water, then strikes with a rapid thrust of the bill
The source sayswalking very slowly in shallow water, waiting for fish to swim near, then striking with a rapid thrust of the bill
The page saysWaits for fish to swim near, then strikes with a rapid thrust of its bill
The source sayswaiting for fish to swim near, then striking with a rapid thrust of the bill
The page saysMarshes, swamps, shores and slow rivers across North and Central America and the Caribbean
The source saysMarshes, swamps, shores, tideflats. The Great Blue Heron is very adaptable, foraging in any calm, fresh waters or slow-moving rivers
The page saysMainly fish, plus frogs, snakes, insects, rodents and birds
The source sayseats mainly fish, but also frogs, salamanders, turtles, snakes, insects, rodents, and birds
The page saysIt mostly stands still, or walks very slowly, in shallow water until a fish swims close. Then it strikes with a rapid thrust of its bill.
The source saysForages mostly by standing still or walking very slowly in shallow water, waiting for fish to swim near, then striking with a rapid thrust of the bill
The page saysIt eats mainly fish, but also frogs, salamanders, turtles, snakes, insects, rodents and birds.
The source sayseats mainly fish, but also frogs, salamanders, turtles, snakes, insects, rodents, and birds
The page saysIt has even been seen stalking voles and gophers in fields
The source saysHas been seen stalking voles and gophers in fields
The page saysThis is the largest heron in North America.
The source saysthe Great Blue Heron is the largest heron in North America
The page saysAn adult is 1.0 to 1.4 meters (3 feet 2 inches to 4 feet 6 inches) long, with a wingspan of 1.7 to 2.0 meters (5 feet 6 inches to 6 feet 7 inches). It weighs 2.1 to 2.5 kilograms (4 pounds 10 ounces to 5 pounds 8 ounces).
The source saysLength: 3 ft 2 in–4 ft 6 in (1.0–1.4 m); wingspan: 5 ft 6 in–6 ft 7 in (1.7–2.0 m); weight: 4 lb 10 oz–5 lb 8 oz (2.1–2.5 kg)
The page saysIn flight it beats its wings slowly, with its head hunched back onto its shoulders.
The source saysflying high overhead, with slow wingbeats, its head hunched back onto its shoulders
The page saysfrom subtropical mangrove swamps to desert rivers to the coast of southern Alaska
The source saysit thrives around all kinds of waters from subtropical mangrove swamps to desert rivers to the coastline of southern Alaska
The page saysNorthern birds east of the Rockies migrate, some as far as the Caribbean, Central America or northern South America.
The source saysNorthern populations east of the Rockies are migratory, some going to the Caribbean, Central America, or northern South America.
The page saysWith its variable diet, it can winter farther north than most herons, even where most waters freeze.
The source saysWith its variable diet, it can spend the winter farther north than most herons, even in areas where most waters freeze.
The page saysGreat blue herons often nest in colonies
The source saysbreeds in colonies, often of this species alone, sometimes mixed with other wading birds; rarely in isolated pairs
The page saysmany of them made up of this species alone
The source saysbreeds in colonies, often of this species alone
The page saysThe male picks a nest site and displays there. His displays include stretching his neck up with the bill pointing at the sky, flying circles over the colony, and snapping his bill shut.
The source saysThe male chooses a nest site and displays there to attract a mate. Displays include stretching the neck up with the bill pointing skyward, flying in circles above the colony with the neck extended, stretching the neck forward with the head and neck feathers erected, and then snapping the bill shut.
The page saysThe nest is usually in a tree 20 to 60 feet above the ground or water.
The source saysusually in trees 20-60 ft above ground or water
The page saysA clutch holds 3 to 5 pale blue eggs, sometimes as few as 2 or as many as 7.
The source says3-5, sometimes 2-7. Pale blue.
The page saysBoth parents incubate them for 25 to 30 days
The source saysIncubation is by both sexes, 25-30 days.
The page saysThe young can fly at about 60 days.
The source saysYoung Great Blue Herons are capable of flight at about 60 days
The page saysIt is the largest heron in North America.
The source saysthe Great Blue Heron is the largest heron in North America
The page saysAudubon gives males and females the same measurements: 1.0 to 1.4 meters long, a 1.7 to 2.0 meter wingspan, and 2.1 to 2.5 kilograms.
The source saysBoth sexes — Length: 3 ft 2 in–4 ft 6 in (1.0–1.4 m); wingspan: 5 ft 6 in–6 ft 7 in (1.7–2.0 m); weight: 4 lb 10 oz–5 lb 8 oz (2.1–2.5 kg)
The page saysFish, mainly. Audubon calls its diet highly variable and adaptable: it has been seen capturing rails at the edge of a marsh and eating many species of small waterbirds.
The source saysHighly variable and adaptable. The Great Blue Heron eats mainly fish, but also frogs, salamanders, turtles, snakes, insects, rodents, and birds. Has been seen stalking voles and gophers in fields, capturing rails at the edge of marsh, and eating many species of small waterbirds.
The page saysNo, it is a heron, although Audubon notes people often call it a crane.
The source saysWidespread and familiar (though often called 'crane')
The page saysAudubon points out that a sandhill crane has a different body shape.
The source saysthe Sandhill Crane has a different body shape
The page saysand feed the chicks by regurgitation
The source saysBoth parents feed their young by regurgitation.
The page saysThe biggest heron in North America
The source saysthe Great Blue Heron is the largest heron in North America
The page saysA great blue heron mostly stands still or walks very slowly in shallow water, then strikes with a rapid thrust of its bill
The source saysForages mostly by standing still or walking very slowly in shallow water, waiting for fish to swim near, then striking with a rapid thrust of the billNote: vibe.reason
The page saysweightKg: 2.3
The source saysweight: 4 lb 10 oz–5 lb 8 oz (2.1–2.5 kg)Note: battleStats.weightKg, typical adult (#1117)

Source
03

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Ardea herodias (great blue heron). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysacross North and Central America and the Caribbean
The source saysthey breed throughout North and Central America, the Caribbean, southern Canada and the Galapagos
The page saysIt is a stalk-and-strike hunter that spots prey by sight
The source saysThey are stalk-and-strike hunters that visually locate prey
The page saysmost of its activity happens around dawn and dusk
The source saysmost of their activity occurs around dawn and dusk
The page saysHerons usually swallow their food whole, and they have been known to choke on prey that is too large.
The source saysHerons locate their food by sight and usually swallow it whole. Herons have been known to choke on prey that is too large.
The page saysIn parts of Florida there is also an overall white form, which averages about 10 percent larger than the darker one.
The source saysA white morph of great blue herons exists in some marine habitats along the coast of Florida ... They are overall white in coloration with much shorter plumes than the dark morph. Their legs are buffy-gray and they average 10% larger than the dark morph.
The page saysGreat blue herons breed throughout North and Central America, the Caribbean, southern Canada and the Galapagos.
The source saysthey breed throughout North and Central America, the Caribbean, southern Canada and the Galapagos
The page sayscolonies called rookeries
The source saysoften nest in groups or "rookeries"
The page saysmore than half of the herons born in a year die before they are a year old
The source saysmore than half (69%) of the great blue herons born in one year will die before they are a year old
The page saysAround 15 years on average, according to Animal Diversity Web, which gives 24.5 years as the top of the range for wild birds.
The source saysThe average lifespan for a great blue heron is around 15 years.
The page says24.5 years as the top of the range for wild birds
The source saysRange lifespan Status: wild 24.5 (high) years

Source
04

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources

Ardea herodias (great blue heron). AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database, Human Ageing Genomic Resources.

The page saysAnAge lists a maximum longevity of 24.5 years in the wild.
The source saysMaximum longevity 24.5 years (wild)

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.