The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) is a large wading bird in the
heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in
wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West
Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe,
with records from Spain, the Azores and England. An all-white
population found only in the Caribbean and south Florida was once
known as a separate species, the Great White Heron.
It is the largest North American heron, with a head-to-tail length
of 91–140 cm (36-55 in), awingspan of 167-201 cm (66-79 in),
and a weight of 2–3.6 kg (4.4-8 lbs). Notable features
include slaty flight feathers, red-brown thighs, and a paired
red-brown and black stripe up the flanks; the neck is rusty-gray,
with black and white streaking down the front; the head is paler,
with a nearly white face, and a pair of black plumes running from
just above the eye to the back of the head. The feathers on the
lower neck are long and plume-like; it also has plumes on the lower
back at the start of the breeding season. The bill is dull
yellowish, becoming orange briefly at the start of the breeding
season, and the lower legs gray, also becoming orangey at the start
of the breeding season. Immature birds are duller in color, with a
dull blackish-gray crown, and the flank pattern only weakly
defined; they have no plumes, and the bill is dull
gray-yellow.
The heron stride is around 22 cm (9 in), almost in a straight line.
Two of the three front toes are generally closer together. In a
track the front toes as well as the back often show the small
talons.
The subspecies differ only slightly in size and plumage tone, with
the exception of subspecies occidentalis, which as well as normal
colored birds, also has a distinct white morph, known as the Great
White Heron (not to be confused with the Great Egret, for which
"Great White Heron" was once a common name). It is found only in
south Florida and some parts of the Caribbean. The Great White
Heron differs from other Great Blues in bill morphology, head plume
length, and in having a total lack of pigment in its plumage. This
is mainly found near salt water, and was long thought to be a
separate species. Birds intermediate between the normal morph and
the white morph are known as Würdemann's Heron; these birds
resemble a "normal" Great Blue with a white head.
This is another fun cache on our favorite bump road (NW 147 Ave),
believe it or not this is a truly PnG with a great view of the
everglades and you can keep your feet dry.
Good hunting, and if you are really careful you will get to see
this great bird in action.
FTF HONORS TO SpikeNJelly