Mountainaire Avian Rescue Society  

MARS MOMENT 4 Great Blue Heron

by Sandy Fairfield

Driving along the shore between Comox and Fanny Bay it is hard to miss another of natures’ most beautiful birds, The Great Blue Heron. Easily identified by its long fragile looking legs, pointed bill, and blue grey plumage, reaching four feet in height it is the largest of the North American Herons. Standing motionless or stealthily stalking in the shallow water, Great Blues hunt a variety of fish, frogs and crustaceans and in the winter voles. Awaiting a passing fish, they strike using their bill in a tweezer- like fashion, rather than impaling the unfortunate prey ( they will impale spiny fish making the spines go flat). Although the Great Blue is a water bird, it is predominately a wader and rarely swims. Seen in flight they are not streamlined fliers, with a six foot wing span they curve their long necks back resting their heads between their shoulders, legs trailing behind them. These Herons have a unique way of cleaning slime collected on their feathers. They are equipped with "powder down feathers" these continually crumble forming a powder, which is used to absorb the slime. They then scratch out the residue with a comb like modification on one of their claws. Great Blue Herons are also unusual in their nesting habits, although solitary hunters they live in colonies high in the tree tops called "rookeries or heronries". Colonies can include over a hundred birds, here they are safe from ground predators, but are still vulnerable, especially chicks, to Eagles, Crows and Ravens. Herons find new mates every year, and they will only feed the young in their nest.