Dean M. Chriss
Photography
Great Blue Heron, Portrait

Great Blue Heron, Portrait

(Click image to enlarge)

Great blue herons are the largest herons in North America. They can reach 54 inches in length with a wingspan of up to 79 inches and a weight of up to 5.5 pounds. Great blue herons breed from southern Alaska and central Canada southward to Central America and the Caribbean. They winter from southern Canada southward to northern South America, and along the coasts as far north as Alaska and Nova Scotia. Great blue herons are found in a large range of habitats, including fresh and saltwater marshes, mangrove swamps, flooded meadows, and shorelines. They nest in colonies, generally in trees or bushes that stand near bodies of water.