Admin Table of Contents
What is a group of blue herons called?
heronry
Usually, colonies include only great blue herons, though sometimes they nest alongside other species of herons. These groups are called a heronry (a more specific term than “rookery”). The size of these colonies may be large, ranging between five and 500 nests per colony, with an average around 160 nests per colony.
Is the great blue heron the largest heron?
Description: The Great Blue Heron is the largest and most widespread heron in North America. It is a large bird, with a slate-gray body, chestnut and black accents, and very long legs and an “S”-shaped neck. Great Blue Herons are very tall and stand 38-54 inches (97-137 cm).
What is the great blue heron known for?
Hunting Great Blue Herons wade slowly or stand statue-like, stalking fish and other prey in shallow water or open fields. Watch for the lightning-fast thrust of the neck and head as they stab with their strong bills. Their very slow wingbeats, tucked-in neck and trailing legs create an unmistakable image in flight.
How big is a full grown great blue heron?
Great Blue Herons get their name from their blue-gray plumage and their large size. A fully grown adult bird is an impressive sight, indeed. It can stand about 4 feet tall, with a wing span of 6 feet. The top of the head and the throat are white, and the beak is yellow.
Is there such a thing as a white heron?
An all-white version of the Great Blue Heron, sometimes called the “Great White Heron” lives in southern Florida and parts of the Caribbean. This used to be considered a separate species, but now is seen as just a regional color variation of the Great Blue Heron species.
How old is the oldest Heron in the world?
The oldest recorded Great Blue Heron was found in Texas when it was at least 24 years, 6 months old. Thanks to specially shaped neck vertebrae, Great Blue Herons can quickly strike prey at a distance.
What replaced the great blue heron in the Old World?
The great blue heron is replaced in the Old World by the very similar grey heron ( Ardea cinerea ), which differs in being somewhat smaller (90–98 cm (35–39 in)), with a pale gray neck and legs, lacking the browner colors that the great blue heron has there.