Our iconic Great Blue Heron

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We recently encountered this handsome Great Blue Heron fishing off a concrete wall at the Orlando Wetlands.

Even though I’ve blogged about Great Blue‘s more than any other species, he was just too good looking to pass up~!

I used to think of the Great Blue Heron as THE iconic Florida bird, but later realized that they are found in almost every region across most of North and Central America~!☺️

The Range Map on the left is from All About Birds, and the one on the right is from Heron Conservation. Both illustrate how widespread Great Blue Heron‘s range is, and both websites provide a wealth of other detailed information about this North American treasure.

19 thoughts on “Our iconic Great Blue Heron”

  2. That’s funny, I saw one at Green K in Boynton Beach and then again at Morikami gardens in Boca that looks exactly the same as that one. Could it be the same great blue heron?

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  6. 🦢 In the land of Orlando Wetlands, 🌳 A handsome heron, our tale expands. 🌟 With feathers blue, he stood so tall, 🦚 A fishing dance upon the wall. 🎣

    I’ve blogged of birds, diverse and grand, 📝 But this Great Blue, oh, he was planned! 💙 Too good looking, couldn’t resist, 😍 To capture him, a birder’s twist. 📸

    Once thought Florida’s bird supreme, 🌴 Yet wide his range, like a dreamy theme. 🌍 North and Central America’s delight, 🌎 In every region, he takes flight! 🗺️

    Maps on left and right, they show, 🗺️ His widespread range, he loves to go! 🚀 All About Birds, a site so fine, 🦜 With info rich, like aged red wine. 🍷

    Heron Conservation, another gem, 🌠 Unveiling treasures, a diadem. 💎 Explore these sites, a birder’s spree, 🕵️‍♀️ To know our heron, so fancy-free! 🕊️

    🦢🏞️🦚🎣📝🌍🌴😍📸🌍🗺️🗺️🌎🦜🍷🌠💎🕵️‍♀️🕊️🦢

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  7. The range maps, with different colors on opposite sides of the Rio Grande in Texas and Mexico, might make some people believe herons behave differently as soon as they cross the river. Maps colored according to smaller units like counties would dispel the illusion.

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    • So true, (old-fashioned) range maps can be very deceiving, and quite different from one another, depending on the source. How incredible that we now have such technologies as Ebird and even Birdcast to learn more about the whereabouts of birds.

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  8. I enjoyed your delightful great blue heron celebration here, bj, thank you. It’s always fun to watch a GBH hunting, and takes a great deal of patience to observe this ever-so-patient bird. I also liked the range maps. Interesting how the Rockies differ from the other parts for this species…makes sense.

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