Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) is a striking and majestic bird, renowned for its impressive size and elegant presence along the waterways of North America. With its long legs and distinctive blue-gray plumage, this heron is a masterful hunter, often seen wading through shallow waters in search of fish, amphibians, and other small prey.
| 🇫🇷 | Grand Héron |
| 🇩🇪 | Kanadareiher |
| 🇲🇽 | Garza Azul |
| Taxonomy | |
| Order | Pelecaniformes |
| Family | Ardeidae |
How to Identify
The Great Blue Heron is the largest heron observed in Montreal. It is predominantly gray with distinctive white markings on its head. This majestic bird can be easily distinguished from the slightly smaller Great Egret, which is entirely white.
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Characteristics
| Length | 91–137cm |
| Weight | 1.82–3.6kg |
| Wingspan | 167–201cm |
| Clutch Size | 2-6 eggs |
| Incubation | 27-29 days |
| Fledging | 56-60 days |
| Sexual Maturity | 2-3 years |
Resources
Videos
Videos are hosted on YouTube. Click on a thumbnail to watch it.
Where and When to Spot
The Great Blue Heron is typically observed moving slowly through reeds or standing on logs and stones in flowing water. It is visible from early spring to late autumn, provided the shores of rivers and lakes remain unfrozen. The heron migrates south in late autumn.
Observation Records by Park and Season
| Location | Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parc Angrignon | x | x | x | - |
| Parc Bernard-Landry | x | - | - | - |
| Parc Michel-Chartrand | x | - | - | - |
| Parc Mont Saint-Bruno | - | x | - | - |
| Parc de la Frayère | x | x | - | - |
| Parc des Rapides | - | x | x | - |
| Parc des Étangs Antoine-Charlebois | - | x | - | - |
| Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park | - | x | - | - |
"x" indicates the species was observed, while "-" indicates no observation. Lack of observation doesn't necessarily imply that the species is absent. Data is derived from our park visit journals.