Great Blue Heron
What do they look like?
Great blue herons are large birds (6-8 lbs.) with long legs. They have long
necks and stand up to four feet tall. Their heads are white and their bodies are
blue-gray.
Where are they found?
Great blue herons live around both fresh and salt water. They nest close to each
other in colonies called rookeries. They can be found along the edges of
streams, ponds, lakes, rivers and bays. They breed in the eastern portion of the
state but can be found state wide other times of the year.
What do they eat?
Wading in shallow water, great blue herons hunt for fish, frogs, crayfish and
snakes. Their long pointed bill also helps them catch insects, mice and other
small animals.
What other kind of herons live in Maryland?
Eight other herons live in Maryland. These are the little blue heron, tricolored
heron, green heron, black crowned night heron, and the yellow crowned night
heron. The cattle egret, snowy egret, and great egret are white herons which
live here.
I didn't know that!
Great blue herons have a seven foot wingspan and can fly 20-30 mph. Although
some will spend the winter in Maryland, most will migrate to states further
south.
Drawing by: W.H. Henry