Birds of Texas

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 42-52"

(Click on picture to enlarge)

Photographs  © Walter Bauer, San Antonio, Texas - 2005

Field Marks: This lean bird, often-miscalled "crane" stands 4 feet tall, and is the largest heron normally found in Texas. It has long legs, long neck, and a dagger-shaped bill, and, in flight, its neck is folded and trailing legs mark it as a heron. Often stands motionless with neck erect, or head sunk between it's shoulders.
Voice: Has a deep harsh croak and sounds like frahnk, frahnk, frawnk.
Where found: Most of North America. It winters south to South America.
Texas: Summers (March - October) throughout most of the state, commoner further east. It does nest locally. This Great Blue Heron was along shoreline drive in Corpus Christi, Texas and stood motionless while I snapped away.

Habitat: Marshes, swamps, rice fields, rivers, shores, bayous.

Nest: Makes a platform of sticks in a bush or tree in a swamp or on an island. It usually is in a colony. Sometimes on a duck blind. Eggs are blue and they lay between 3-6.