Great Blue Heron

wading birds · fishing · wetlands · North America

Massive wading bird. The great blue heron is one of the largest herons in North America, standing very tall and moving slowly through shallow water to hunt for fish.

Lives near water. You'll find these birds hanging out around lakes, marshes, rivers, and coastal areas wherever there's open water and plenty of fish to eat.

Spread across the Americas. Great blue herons live over most of North and Central America, the Caribbean, Northwestern South America, and even the Galápagos Islands.

All-white cousins exist. In South Florida and the Florida Keys, there's a population of all-white herons that look completely different, and scientists still debate whether they're a separate species or just a color variation of the great blue heron.