Wildlife spotlight: Great Blue Heron

If you’ve been by a marsh, pond or river and seen a large, around 3-4 ft tall, blue-gray bird standing in the shallows, you might have seen a great blue heron. These birds, the largest heron in North America, are a common migratory bird that summer in Illinois. 

They eat a diet that includes fish and insects, hunting while standing still or walking slowly in shallow water. While birding, you’ll likely need patience to see that first hand, but it is an exciting sight to see.

Their eggs are a blue-green color and nests are typically in tree colonies called a rookery. In the springtime a platform of sticks in a tree might be a great blue heron nest.

What makes a bird migratory?

Some birds don’t stay in one location year-round. North American migratory birds winter farther south where it’s not as cold and food sources will still be available during the winter months and fly north for breeding and summer months.

Illinois is on the Mississippi flyway, a route between the Gulf of Mexico and northern Canada along the Mississippi, Missouri and lower Ohio rivers. The Mississippi flyway is one of four North American flyways. Hundreds of species of birds traverse the skies along this route during migratory seasons in the spring and fall including the great blue heron. 

What is a wetland?

Wetlands come in different forms: marshes, prairie potholes, forested swamps and fens to name a few. But all wetlands have the presence of water for all or part of the year, hydrophytic plants that are adapted to specific water conditions and soils that have specific properties due to being repeatedly or consistently waterlogged or flooded for at least two weeks during growing seasons called hydric soils. 

Healthy wetlands act like the kidneys of the ecosystem, filtering out pollution and helping to support clean water. 

Wetlands also support incredible biodiversity. Great blue herons aren’t the only birds that find their food and habitat in Illinois’ wetlands. The nature of wetlands results in great volumes of food for animal species, supporting a vibrant food web.

Great blue herons and other wildlife need our help

Great blue herons are a common species, but even common wildlife need clean water, healthy habitat and a livable climate to continue to thrive. It is up to us to protect nature in our wetlands, in our skies and all across Illinois.