Creature Feature Encyclopedia: Aves

Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Height: 39-52" (99-132 cm) Wingspan: 70" (1.8 m) Habitat: North American lakes, ponds, rivers, and marshes

Heron Hour: An Interview
by Gretchen Askers, Planet Scout Gazette Staff

Planet Scout Gazette sent crack reporter Gretchen Askers to interview Dr. Bill Hunter, a member of the Sharpes Institute of Bird Beaks. Here's what she discovered:

How do we know what a heron eats?
You can tell exactly what any bird eats by looking at its bill. A heron's is long and pointed. Beaks shaped like this are excellent for catching fish, frogs, voles, small turtles and insects.

How would a heron catch all those quick animals? Isn't it too big to sneak around?
Herons hunt at the edges of ponds, where they wade quietly through the water, looking for food. They are careful not to make sudden movements.

But wouldn't the heron cast a shadow over the water and scare the animals away?
The light color of a heron's underside helps him fool his prey by blending in with the color of the sky as the frog or fish looks up.

~Salamander Rain: A Lake and Pond Journal © 2001