Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
Photographed in the wild, Kissimmee, Florida Mar 2011
The great blue heron is the largest
and most common of the North American herons. It is often seen standing at the
edge of a lake or pond watching for small fish, its favourite prey.
Occasionally a heron will choke to death trying to eat a fish that is too large
to swallow.
This heron gets its name from its
bluish-gray feathers and regal size. It has a huge wingspan of nearly 6 feet.
When in flight, its neck folds into an S-shape and you may hear it makes its
call - a hoarse, guttural squawk.
During the mating season, two
feathers on the bird's head become long and thread-like. The great blue heron’s
eggs are generally light blue in color.
No comments:
Post a Comment