Great Blue Heron

Great Blue Heron    

The Great Blue Heron is one of our more common Island birds. They are a stately bird and present a fine gray-blue plumage with head and chest plumes. In flight, they curl their necks and let their legs trail behind.

Great Blue Heron

From one day to the next, you are apt to find one or two on most any beach. At other times you might find them on a freshwater pond or stream. On occasion, they congregate in large numbers on the beach, often in areas where there might be a run of one fish species or another.  However, they might eat almost anything that moves and have been known to consume gophers and young birds.

Great Blue Heron

Although Herons are migratory, they do not tend to go far in winter. They can migrate either singly or in small flocks. Normally they just go to where they can find open water and access to food.  Occasionally, you will find one here in winter that, for whatever reason, has decided not to go anywhere and is doing just fine in local, open water.

Great Blue Heron Group

Text and Photos by REArvidson

Ron Arvidson is an Artist and Teacher as well as an avid Birder.  Ron is also an Administrator for Birding on PEI and his photos may also be seen www.facebook.com/pages/Birding-on-PEI.