The Best Stick Wins
As nesting season unfolds for the Great Blue Herons, the quest for the perfect stick emerges with it. In a display of courtship unique to these birds, females select their mates based on the quality of the sticks they offer - proving that even birds care about their home décor!
Great Blue Heron bringing nesting material.
Great Blue Heron courting rituals are fascinating and diverse. While frequenting local preserves and wetlands, I was fortunate to witness behaviors including bill snapping, neck stretching, calls, preening, circular flights, twig shaking, twig exchanging, crest raising, and even bill duels. These behaviors showcasing the complexity of their social interactions.
Tree nesting is common among these large herons, with breeding occurring in early spring.
During one of my visits in early March, the air was filled with anticipation as nests brimmed with eggs. Some Great Blues were already nurturing the next generation of herons.
Adult and nestling.
Nestling pulling on parent bill in an attempt to hasten food delivery.
Adult and two nestlings. One nestling can be seen practicing wing flaps.
About two weeks later, I revisited the nest and was amazed to see how significantly the nestlings had grown.
Nestlings will keep this heron busy fetching food for two months, although the chicks won’t reach full maturity for two years.
Here are few more glimpses into the lives of these birds.
Breeding adult mid-flight.
Great Blue Herons are carnivores (piscivores), with a diet that primarily consists of fish. However, they are known to eat a variety of other creatures, including frogs, salamanders, snakes, lizards, young birds, small mammals, crabs, shrimp, crayfish, dragonflies, grasshoppers, and many aquatic invertebrates.
Heron taking off with an Armored Catfish.
Florida is home to all four known species of sirens, a unique family of aquatic salamanders. With frilly gills for breathing underwater and no hind legs, these salamanders thrive in ponds, lakes, and weedy ditches, growing up to 3 feet long. During one of my visits to Circle B, I was astonished to witness a Great Blue Heron feasting on one of these aquatic salamanders. It was a struggle, but the heron eventually managed to swallow it whole!
Great Blue Heron eating large, eel-like, aquatic salamander - Greater siren.
That’s all for now! Hope you enjoyed a sneak peek into the world of Great Blue Herons.
