Home Nature Tours Wildlife of British Columbia Great Blue Herons
Great blue heron (Ardea herodias)
Standing about four feet tall and with a wingspan of 70”, the great blue heron is the largest North American heron.
Great blue herons are most active in the mornings and at dusk, when the fishing is best, and feed on fish, frogs, small lizards, crayfish, and even small birds. Over their 15-year average lifespan, Great blue herons will mate monogamously each breeding season and produce between two and seven eggs per year.
Great blue herons are known to have seven distinct calls including a soft “kraak” or “fraunk” sound when they are disturbed and a gentle “ar” sound used to greet other herons. When courting, herons snap their bills and contort their bodies in a complicated dance.
Herons can ben seen on our Vancouver Island nature tours and down on the docks of our resorts.
