Water birds
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
The great blue heron is a large wading bird in the heron family (Ardeidae), common near shores of open water and wetlands over most of North and Central America, as well as Northwestern South America, the Caribbean, and the Galápagos Islands. It is occasionally found in the Azores and is a rare vagrant to Europe.
Very tall gray-blue heron with a long neck and dagger bill; wades slowly in shallow water.
- Scientific name
- Ardea herodias
- Group
- Water birds
- Main color
- Gray
- Conservation (IUCN)
- Least concern
Size and shape
It has a head-to-tail length of 91–137 cm (36–54 in), a wingspan of 167–201 cm (66–79 in), a height of 115–138 cm (45–54 in), and a weight of 1.82–3.6 kg (4.0–7.9 lb).
Diet
In Nova Scotia, 98% of the diet was flounder.
Range and habitat
The great blue heron is found throughout most of North America, as far north as Alaska and the southern Canadian provinces in the summer.
Voice
These groups are called a heronry (a more specific term than "rookery").
More photos
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Great Blue Heron FAQ
How big is the Great Blue Heron?
It has a head-to-tail length of 91–137 cm (36–54 in), a wingspan of 167–201 cm (66–79 in), a height of 115–138 cm (45–54 in), and a weight of 1.82–3.6 kg (4.0–7.9 lb).
What does the Great Blue Heron eat?
In Nova Scotia, 98% of the diet was flounder.
How do I identify a Great Blue Heron?
Very tall gray-blue heron with a long neck and dagger bill; wades slowly in shallow water.
Where does the Great Blue Heron live?
The great blue heron is found throughout most of North America, as far north as Alaska and the southern Canadian provinces in the summer.
Is the Great Blue Heron endangered?
No. The IUCN Red List rates the Great Blue Heron as least concern (status read from Wikidata).
Facts on this page are summarized from the Wikipedia article on the Great Blue Heron (read October 27, 2026) and conservation status from Wikidata. Quick ID notes are Birdstagram's own summary.