Great Blue Heron - Sierra Club BC
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Great Blue Heron

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Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodias 

Appearance

Great blue herons are grey-blue birds, with a black stripe over their eyes and a few feathers sticking out the back of their head. Great blue herons have long yellow bills, white and black stripes on their head, and they can grow to over four feet tall. 

Range & Habitat

Great blue herons are found from Alaska to Mexico and Central America. In B.C. they are most commonly found in the lower mainland and the southern part of the province. They tend to stay around shorelines and marshes. There are around 5,000 to 6,000 great blue herons in B.C.  

Reciprocal Relationships

The great blue heron plays the part of both a predator and prey in the ecosystem. These birds eat fish, rodents, insects, frogs and other small birds. They are very fast predators and can use their long bill as a spear. Young herons are predated by hawks, eagles, and raccoons.  

These birds are expert fishers, graced with the gifts of patience and balance. It’s said that if you see one you're more likely to have a good fishing day. The heron’s presence indicates that an aquatic ecosystem has abundant fish and amphibians in the riparian area. To protect this species, we should encourage the nurturing and restoration of wetlands and riparian areas.  

To honor this species, the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) First Nation has recently renamed Riverview lands to səmiq̓wəʔelə (pronounced Suh-MEE-kwuh-EL-uh), which translates to ‘The Place of the Great Blue Heron’ in the traditional hən̓q̓əmin̓əm language.  

According to some Nuu-chah-nulth legends, the great blue heron first taught people to stand and have self-confidence because of its graceful demeanour.  

Lifecycles & Threats

Great blue herons nest in colonies in trees or on grassy hills. The colonies are called rookeries and can have over 20 or 30 birds. The eggs are laid in a shallow nest, and the young herons leave their parents in the late summer. Young herons, especially the chicks, are threatened by predatory birds like hawks. The number of great blue herons is decreasing in B.C., mostly because of human disturbance around their nesting and feeding sites. 

Status

COSEWIC: Special Concern 
CDC: Blue 

Photo Credit

Canva

More Information

If you belong to a First Nation with a story or piece of information not represented here and you would like to share more about this species, please email us at education@sierraclub.bc.ca

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