---
title: "What the sources say about the Great Blue Heron | AnimalTracks.wiki"
description: "42 claims from the Great Blue Heron profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it."
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---

# What the sources say about the Great Blue Heron (*Ardea herodias*)

> 42 claims from the Great Blue Heron profile, each beside the words of the source that backs it. A "..." marks a cut in a quote and [brackets] an insertion.

Profile: [Great Blue Heron](https://animaltracks.wiki/animals/great-blue-heron/)

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

https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2020-3.rlts.t181500967a181565357.en

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Least Concern | Least Concern (note: GBIF's copy of the Red List checked: LC for Ardea herodias, taxon 181500967) |
| The Red List rates the species Least Concern. | Least Concern (note: GBIF's copy of the Red List checked: LC for Ardea herodias, taxon 181500967) |

## Great Blue Heron. Audubon Guide to North American Birds.

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/great-blue-heron

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| Waits in shallow water, then strikes with a rapid thrust of the bill | walking very slowly in shallow water, waiting for fish to swim near, then striking with a rapid thrust of the bill |
| Waits for fish to swim near, then strikes with a rapid thrust of its bill | waiting for fish to swim near, then striking with a rapid thrust of the bill |
| Marshes, swamps, shores and slow rivers across North and Central America and the Caribbean | Marshes, swamps, shores, tideflats. The Great Blue Heron is very adaptable, foraging in any calm, fresh waters or slow-moving rivers |
| Mainly fish, plus frogs, snakes, insects, rodents and birds | eats mainly fish, but also frogs, salamanders, turtles, snakes, insects, rodents, and birds |
| It 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. | Forages 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 |
| It eats mainly fish, but also frogs, salamanders, turtles, snakes, insects, rodents and birds. | eats mainly fish, but also frogs, salamanders, turtles, snakes, insects, rodents, and birds |
| It has even been seen stalking voles and gophers in fields | Has been seen stalking voles and gophers in fields |
| This is the largest heron in North America. | the Great Blue Heron is the largest heron in North America |
| An 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). | 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) |
| In flight it beats its wings slowly, with its head hunched back onto its shoulders. | flying high overhead, with slow wingbeats, its head hunched back onto its shoulders |
| from subtropical mangrove swamps to desert rivers to the coast of southern Alaska | it thrives around all kinds of waters from subtropical mangrove swamps to desert rivers to the coastline of southern Alaska |
| Northern birds east of the Rockies migrate, some as far as the Caribbean, Central America or northern South America. | Northern populations east of the Rockies are migratory, some going to the Caribbean, Central America, or northern South America. |
| With its variable diet, it can winter farther north than most herons, even where most waters freeze. | With its variable diet, it can spend the winter farther north than most herons, even in areas where most waters freeze. |
| Great blue herons often nest in colonies | breeds in colonies, often of this species alone, sometimes mixed with other wading birds; rarely in isolated pairs |
| many of them made up of this species alone | breeds in colonies, often of this species alone |
| The 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 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 nest is usually in a tree 20 to 60 feet above the ground or water. | usually in trees 20-60 ft above ground or water |
| A clutch holds 3 to 5 pale blue eggs, sometimes as few as 2 or as many as 7. | 3-5, sometimes 2-7. Pale blue. |
| Both parents incubate them for 25 to 30 days | Incubation is by both sexes, 25-30 days. |
| The young can fly at about 60 days. | Young Great Blue Herons are capable of flight at about 60 days |
| It is the largest heron in North America. | the Great Blue Heron is the largest heron in North America |
| Audubon 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. | Both 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) |
| Fish, 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. | Highly 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. |
| No, it is a heron, although Audubon notes people often call it a crane. | Widespread and familiar (though often called 'crane') |
| Audubon points out that a sandhill crane has a different body shape. | the Sandhill Crane has a different body shape |
| and feed the chicks by regurgitation | Both parents feed their young by regurgitation. |
| The biggest heron in North America | the Great Blue Heron is the largest heron in North America |
| A great blue heron mostly stands still or walks very slowly in shallow water, then strikes with a rapid thrust of its bill | Forages 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 (note: vibe.reason) |
| weightKg: 2.3 | weight: 4 lb 10 oz–5 lb 8 oz (2.1–2.5 kg) (note: battleStats.weightKg, typical adult (#1117)) |

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

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Ardea_herodias/

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| across North and Central America and the Caribbean | they breed throughout North and Central America, the Caribbean, southern Canada and the Galapagos |
| It is a stalk-and-strike hunter that spots prey by sight | They are stalk-and-strike hunters that visually locate prey |
| most of its activity happens around dawn and dusk | most of their activity occurs around dawn and dusk |
| Herons usually swallow their food whole, and they have been known to choke on prey that is too large. | Herons locate their food by sight and usually swallow it whole. Herons have been known to choke on prey that is too large. |
| In parts of Florida there is also an overall white form, which averages about 10 percent larger than the darker one. | A 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. |
| Great blue herons breed throughout North and Central America, the Caribbean, southern Canada and the Galapagos. | they breed throughout North and Central America, the Caribbean, southern Canada and the Galapagos |
| colonies called rookeries | often nest in groups or "rookeries" |
| more than half of the herons born in a year die before they are a year old | more than half (69%) of the great blue herons born in one year will die before they are a year old |
| Around 15 years on average, according to Animal Diversity Web, which gives 24.5 years as the top of the range for wild birds. | The average lifespan for a great blue heron is around 15 years. |
| 24.5 years as the top of the range for wild birds | Range lifespan
Status: wild
24.5 (high) years |

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

https://genomics.senescence.info/species/entry.php?species=Ardea_herodias

| The page says | The source says |
| :--- | :--- |
| AnAge lists a maximum longevity of 24.5 years in the wild. | Maximum longevity 24.5 years (wild) |