Great Blue Heron

Description:

Largest of the North American herons with long legs, a sinuous neck, and thick, daggerlike bill. Head, chest, and wing plumes give a shaggy appearance. Great Blue Herons appear blue-gray from a distance, with a wide black stripe over the eye.

Habitat:

At the edge of a small urban pond with a fountain.

Notes:

Great Blue Herons live in both freshwater and saltwater habitats, and also forage in grasslands and agricultural fields, where they stalk frogs and mammals. Most breeding colonies are located within 2 to 4 miles of feeding areas, often in isolated swamps or on islands, and near lakes and ponds bordered by forests.