Right up there with the Shoebill, the Great Blue Heron is one of those birds that really shows its dinosaur lineage. You really hear it too when they deliver their prehistoric sounding squawk upon take-off, announcing their displeasure of being disrupted.
With the patience of a rock, they can stand motionless for long periods of time, waiting for a fish to reveal itself as the bird's next meal, as it strikes like lightning. They will also take larger prey like gophers and other rodents. They can hunt day and night thanks to a high percentage of rod-type photoreceptors in their eyes that improve their night vision.
Despite their impressive size, Great Blue Herons only weigh about five pounds thanks in part to their hollow bones - a feature all birds share.
Right up there with the Shoebill, the Great Blue Heron is one of those birds that really shows its dinosaur lineage. You really hear it too when they deliver their prehistoric sounding squawk upon take-off, announcing their displeasure of being disrupted.
With the patience of a rock, they can stand motionless for long periods of time, waiting for a fish to reveal itself as the bird's next meal, as it strikes like lightning. They will also take larger prey gophers and other rodents. They can hunt day and night thanks to a high percentage of rod-type photoreceptors in their eyes that improve their night vision.
Despite their impressive size, Great Blue Herons only weigh about five pounds thanks in part to their hollow bones - a feature all birds share.
Enjoy!
Sep 12, 2020 at 06:24 PM
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