British Columbia Wildlife
Blue Heron

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Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

The Great Blue heron is found throughout the west coast of British Columbia mostly dieting on fish and frogs, sometimes, snakes, mice, salamanders and insects.

The Blue Heron are hunters of patience and self control. The marine bird will stand in shallow water for hours waiting for their prey to come within reach of their long beak and neck. When the prey is within striking distance the Blue Heron will suddenly lunge its beak forward into the water and snap onto the prey pulling it up out of the water in its mouth.

The Blue Heron is a treat to watch in flight. It has a large wing span at times looking overwhelmed. The great sea bird when in flight glides in for a landing toward its perch and on the approach raises its legs and back pedals his wings until the heron is almost hovering at a stand still dropping slowly onto its perch.