Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
Appearance
Range & Habitat
Reciprocal Relationships
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.