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Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ardeidae Chick Type: Semialtricial (chick has mobility, need food from parents and requires parental attendance) Great Blue Herons are found throughout most of the United States and southern Canada. They over winter along the Pacific coastline, southeastern U.S. and Central America. In addition to the blue phase, there is also a white phase of the Great Blue Heron. There are five subspecies of the Great Blue Heron. Great Blues build stick nest on trees, the nests are usually not far from water. Like egrets, Great Blues Herons also nest in colonies. Depending on the area, some colonies are as small as three nest, while others are as large as 5,000 nests. Usually three to six eggs are laid, and will hatch after 28 days. The eggs will hatch asynchronously, which leads to a range of chick sizes at the nest. The oldest chick, being the largest and most dominate during feeding times. Unlike Great Egrets, Great Blue Heron chicks usually do not practice siblicide. This large heron is a serious predator of all small vertebrates and large invertebrates. Fish makes the bulk of its diet, but crayfish, insects, small mammals, frogs, salamanders, snakes, turtles, lizards and baby alligators are all fair game. Food items are killed by stabbing and then swallowed whole. Hunting habitat can range from roadside ditches to along the coastline. Great Blue Herons have several displays that are used to communicate with the conspecifics. Displays such as neck stretch, wing preen, circle flight, and twig shake are shown during certain situations. In domestic arguments, the pair may have their crest raised, which could lead to a bill duel (Gill 1995). |
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