Great Blue Herons in Nebraska Introduction:
I don't profess to be an expert on the Great Blue Heron but I am learning more about them all the time. My Knowledge is based on what I have read in books and on the inter-net as well as personal observations while photographing them over the last five years. They are very large birds at up to four feet tall with a wing span of up to six feet across.
On land they can seem a bit comical with their long legs, big feet, and their long necks with a small head and very long beak. The body seems relatively small in comparison, especially at rest when they twist their necks around and pull it down into their body. I love to watch them walk about with those long legs and big feet. They are most majestic when in flight.
One can best get a feel for their immense size when seeing them in flight. When airborne they carry their necks in an "S" formation and their legs straight out behind them often with a toe of one foot hooked to a toe of the other foot. Upon landing I often observe them shaking out their wing feathers in a rather comical fashion so that they settle neatly over their bodies.
On land they can seem a bit comical with their long legs, big feet, and their long necks with a small head and very long beak. The body seems relatively small in comparison, especially at rest when they twist their necks around and pull it down into their body. I love to watch them walk about with those long legs and big feet. They are most majestic when in flight.
One can best get a feel for their immense size when seeing them in flight. When airborne they carry their necks in an "S" formation and their legs straight out behind them often with a toe of one foot hooked to a toe of the other foot. Upon landing I often observe them shaking out their wing feathers in a rather comical fashion so that they settle neatly over their bodies.
When startled this Great Blue Heron called out AAUK, AAUK, AAUK" as he made their ungainly but effective lift off. They certainly would not win any contests for their beautiful voice. They start out with their necks fully extended in the effort to get into the air. Once they are airborne they are quite magnificent to watch with the graceful movement of their wings as they take up their familiar formation with the "S" curve neck and their legs straight out behind them.
The Great Blue can spend hours slowly stalking their prey , standing perfectly still waiting for the object of their interest to come close enough to stab at them with their long bill. They will crane their neck so that you think they are about to strike but then they pull back in and continue their vigil. When they make their move it is swift and efficient. Like the old saying goes, if you blink you will miss it. Literally!
Great Blue Heron finally makes his move! He jabs his long beak down into the seaweed infested water in a lightning quick motion.
It appears that all he came up with was a mouth full of seaweed but wait................
There it is. He is an expert at teasing the fish out of the seaweed with his bill.
I guess he didn't want to eat this morsel on the spot. Perhaps there are too many other Herons around who might steel it from him.