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Manatee County

Audubon Society

Great Blue Heron

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Name

Great Blue Heron

Scientific Name

(Ardea herodias)

Why they are special:
  • Florida’s largest and most iconic heron, often seen standing silently in shallow water before striking with lightning speed.

  • Recognizable by its long neck, blue-gray plumage, and slow, graceful flight.
Size and color:
  • Very large heron, 38–54 inches long with a wingspan of 66–79 inches.

  • Blue-gray body, white face with black crown stripe, yellow bill, and long slate-gray legs.

  • Breeding adults develop long plumes on neck, back, and chest.
Seasonality in Florida:
  • Year-round resident across all coastal, estuarine, and inland wetlands.
Habitat:
  • Freshwater and saltwater marshes, tidal flats, estuaries, coastal lagoons, rivers, and ponds.

  • Often found hunting along shallow water margins or flying low over open water.
Diet:
  • Feeds on fish, amphibians, crustaceans, small mammals, and insects.

  • Captures prey by standing still or slowly stalking before striking with its sharp bill.
Behavior:
  • Usually solitary while feeding; roosts in trees or shrubs in colonies with other wading birds.

  • Flight is slow and deliberate, with S-shaped neck folded back and long legs trailing.
Conservation notes:
  • Populations are stable, but habitat loss and wetland drainage can impact local numbers.
Best time to see:
  • Year-round, especially along tidal flats, marsh edges, and coastal wetlands.
Fun Fact:
  • Great Blue Herons can swallow prey as large as small turtles or frogs whole, using their long, powerful bills to subdue it.
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