Species profile
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
Quick answer
A tall, deliberate wader that hunts by standing motionless in shallow water.
- Scientific name
- Ardea herodias
- Family
- Ardeidae
- Order
- Pelecaniformes
- Genus
- Ardea
- Conservation status
- Least Concern
Habitat
Marshes, shorelines, riverbanks
Recording Great Blue Heron in your journal
When you see this bird, log the sighting with the date, the place and any photos. If it's your first, Feather Journal marks it as a lifer and adds it to your life list automatically — no spreadsheet, no re-typing.
Want more detail? Read our full Great Blue Heron field guide.