Today's featured feathered friend is the Great Blue Heron. It is the largest Heron in North America and a year-round resident across most of the United States. East of the Rocky Mountains in the northern parts of their range, they migrate south for the winter.
Great Blue Herons are very large, big-bodied, long-necked wading birds with massive long deep-based bills. The average standing height is 4 1/2 feet, the average length (tip of bill to tip of tail) is 4 feet and the average wingspan is 6 feet. Despite it's size, it's average weight is only around 5 pounds. Males and females are similar in appearance. They are mostly grayish overall with an orangish bill and blue facial skin and dark legs. The head is white with a wide black crown-stripe leading to short black plumes at the back of the head.
A subspecies known as the Great "White" Heron can be found only in south Florida and some parts of the Caribbean. Like the name implies, it's plumage is all white. It is similar in appearance to the Great Egret, however, it is larger and has dull yellow legs and feet, while the Great Egret has black legs and feet. We were blessed to find one on our 2010 visit to Key West. Click on the links for more information and enjoy these photos of the stately Great Blue Heron.....tweet.....tweet!!
 |
| Great Blue Heron (Taken 11/8/12, D.J. Wilcox Preserve, Ft. Pierce FL) |
 |
| Mating Display (Taken 2/2/12, The Rookery, Venice FL) |
 |
| Adult with chicks on the nest (Taken 2/2/12, The Rookery, Venice FL) |
 |
| (Taken 3/4/13, Siesta Key, near Sarasota FL) |
.JPG) |
| Great White Heron (Great Blue Heron, White Morph) (Taken 9/21/10, Key West FL) |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Blue_Heron
No comments:
Post a Comment