Great Blue Heron hunting on Fall Creek Ithaca

Great blue herons get their name from the grayish blue coloration of the feathers on their upper wings, back, and tail. Their face is nearly white, with a pair of black stripes running above their eye to the back of their head. They have gray necks, with white and black streaks. The great blue heron is the largest North American heron, with a height of 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 feet and a length of 3 to 4-1/2 feet head to tail. They can take large steps for birds, with a stride of around 9 inches in a straight line. The great blue heron has a very large wingspan, measuring between 65 and 70 inches. Great blue herons weigh between 4.5 and 8 pounds. The feathers on the chest of the great blue heron are highly specialized and will continually grow and fray, kind of like a powdery down.nHerons will use their chest feathers to remove slime and oils from their other feathers as they preen.nHerons are very cautious birds, and will often take flight once they have spotted something that they perceive as a threat. They will beat their wings hard while taking off, and then catch winds and glide, gracefully cruising at speeds between 20 to 30 miles per hour.

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