On a recent trip to Charleston, SC we went to the Magnolia Plantation and took their swamp tour. We spotted this Great Blue Heron hunting at the edge of the reeds and were fortunate enough to watch him make a catch. Now, we really thought this would be a case of his eyes being bigger than his stomach--but he was up to the task!
The primary food for this majestic shorebird is usually small fish, although they may also take shellfish, rodents, amphibians, reptiles and small birds.
Great Blue Herons are the largest and
most widespread heron in North America and can be seen on almost any lake, river or pond -- at least here in the midwest. The one pictured here is the most
commonly seen color. However, there is a white morph found in southern coastal areas which is called the Great White Heron. This color phase is often confused with the Great Egret. The easiest way to tell the two apart is that the Great White Heron's legs are black, while the Great Egret has yellow legs. There is also a third color morph which looks like a combination of the other two. This intermediate bird is known as the Wurdemann's
heron and has a white head and a grey body.
One of the greatest dangers to this beautiful bird is discarded monofilament fishing line. As they wade the shallows hunting for prey they often become entangled in the fishing line left behind when a fisherman's lure becomes snagged on a low hanging branch or rock. Once entangled, the bird is unable to hunt and gradually starves to death. So, if at all possible please recover your line and dispose of it where it poses no threat to wildlife.
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