- Great blue herons live all around the U.S. They tend to be timid, so much so that Audubon, a foremost bird watching expert, couldn't approach one. They mainly eat fish, which leads them to live along water, but researchers have also found them eating small rodents. The birds can be problematic for fish farmers, snatching the fish for themselves. But a study showed the herons, in many cases, ate diseased fish. Great blue herons are the most common member of the heron family.
- The great blue heron lives year-round through most of the U.S. The exceptions are parts of the Rocky Mountains, through which it migrates from Canada, and around the Dakotas and into central Canada, which is where they go to in the summer for breeding. They mostly spend their winters in Mexico and parts of the Caribbean.
- Like any animal, the great blue heron goes where the food is. It spends most of the year stalking shallow waters for fish and amphibians, which means it inhabits riverbeds, coastlines, lakes, marshes and ponds. It lives in saltwater habitats as often as freshwater ones.
- Herons are inconsistent with their nesting. They often breed as colonies, but there are plenty of couples that independently nest. Audubon observed them nesting along riverbeds and marsh edges, but he found them as far as 10 miles away from any waterfront. He also found the nests at the tops of the tallest trees and many on cacti or on the ground. Despite the inconsistent nest locations, their composition is fairly standard--flat, long and made of twigs and weeds.
- The National Audubon Society describes great blue herons as one of the most adaptable wading birds in the U.S., which is why it has kept its population numbers high, but heron colonies are at risk. The birds are less successful at breeding and may abandon their rookeries if people disturb their habitats. Diminishing wetlands are in turn diminishing food supplies, and clear cutting forests is wiping out nesting grounds.
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