Spring Migration Arrival: Great Blue Heron

As spring envelopes Carillon Stonegate Pond, the graceful Great Blue Herons make their annual return. These majestic birds, known for their stately presence and elegant flight, come back to our area to engage in their annual rituals of nesting, breeding, and hunting. Watch for “Big Blue” as they take their place along our shorelines or roost high in the trees, adding a touch of wild beauty to the ecology of Carillon Stonegate Pond.

Identification: Some believe that birds are descendants of dinosaurs. The Great Blue Heron resembles a Pterodactyl when it flies and makes a hoarse call. The Great Blue Heron has blue-gray plumage, a gray neck, and a black and white throat. Their bills are yellowish-orange, and their legs are yellowish. They average 4 feet in height, approximately 5 pounds in weight, and have a wingspan of about 6 feet.

The face of the Great Blue heron.

Habitat at Carillon Stonegate Pond: Look along the shorelines of our ponds. And occasionally, you can spot a Great Blue Heron roosting in the trees above our western pond.

Flight Patterns: The flight of the Great Blue Heron is described as majestic. When approaching directly, the Great Blue Heron bears a resemblance to the "Klingon Bird of Prey" from the Star Trek series. How would you describe it? During flight, the Great Blue Heron folds its neck into an “S” shape and trails its long legs behind, allowing them to dangle as it prepares for landing. This characteristic differentiates Great Blue Herons (and Great Egrets) from Storks and Cranes, which fly with their necks fully extended.

Great Blue Heron looking for prey.

Behavior: Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets hunt in a similar manner. They move slowly through the shore of ponds and wetlands. They remain still, waiting for a fish. They use their bill to catch the fish or prey and swallow it.

Diet: The Great Blue Heron is a carnivore and hunter. They feed on fish, frogs, crustaceans, snakes and other small aquatic animals.

Residence: The Great Blue Heron is common in North America, living in freshwater and saltwater habitats. They forage in grasslands and fields and nest near feeding areas, often in swamps or on islands close to lakes and forests. Adaptable, they thrive around various waters from mangrove swamps to ponds and rivers and Alaska's coastlines.

Great Blue Heron walking along shore.

Breeding and Nesting: Great Blue Herons build large nests over 50 feet high in trees near wetlands. They often nest in groups called rookeries, with a large rookery about one mile from Carillon Stonegate Pond. Their breeding season is from March to May. Females lay eggs that hatch in about one month, and the young fledge in roughly two months.

Migration: Great Blue Herons migrate to breeding grounds in the northern U.S. and Canada, stopping in the Midwest. In winter, they move south, though some may stay year-round in the southern and central U.S. and along the Pacific coast. They travel alone or in small flocks, day or night. In late summer and fall, they are seen across the U.S. See Birds of North America map on the right.

Conservation Status: There is low concern. According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey, the Great Blue Heron has seen slight decreases in populations. North American Waterbird Conservation Plan estimates the global breeding population at 800 thousand.

Vocalizations: Great Blue Herons are mostly silent as you see them on our ponds. But they do m

Great Blue Heron hunting along shoreline of Carillon Stonegate Pond.

ake various squawking calls. And when they are alarmed or disturbed, they produce a clucking sound followed by a very lengthy rapid squawk. Here is a link to the sounds of the Great Blue Heron.

Interesting Facts:

• Herons spend approximately 90 percent of their waking hours stalking for food (i.e., very patient fisherman!).

• Great blue herons are monogamous during breeding season but will choose a new partner the next year.

• When alarmed, herons may make 3-4 hoarse croaks - think Jurassic Park sounds - to warn others before taking off - you may have heard this sound around our ponds.

• Not all great blue herons nest in trees - some herons nest on the ground and will use grasses to build their nests instead of sticks.

• Herons also roost in trees - as seen at Carillon Stonegate Pond - for safety from predators as shown in the other photo on this blog.

• There is a form of great blue heron in Florida that is solid white, known as the 'Great White Heron'.

• Some herons are migratory and will travel day and night while migrating. Generally, herons migrate north into the northern Great Plains or Canada to breed.

• Great Blue Herons will hunt both during the day and the night. They have specially adapted eyes which help them to see in the dark.

• A heron will typically live for around 15 years; the oldest recorded great blue heron lived to be 24 years old.

​For more information on Great Blue Herons and sources of information used in this blog (these are the sources that I am using to learn as I blog), please visit All About Birds, Audubon Society, American Expedition and Chicago Botanic Gardens.  And the Cornell Lab of Ornithology provides a wonderful source of information for anyone interested in learning more about birds.

We all benefit from the variety of wetland, forest, and prairie environments that support diverse wildlife, plants, and insects of Carillon Stonegate Pond.

Take a hike and see what you can find – and identify!