BLUE HERON

My friend is still alive and well after getting caught in fish line....

Gifford Pinchot Park 8/2014 (click on picture to enlarge)

Found these interesting facts about blue herons:

Recently I shot this picture of my buddy eating lunch and read that as Herons attempt to swallow their prey they have been known to choke to death at times. Their long, S-shaped necks makes it difficult for them to swallow fish which are too long or large.  I actually saw this heron flip the fish into the air and catch it - and watched as he swallowed the fish whole.   

The primary diet of Herons consists of fish. However, they can quickly adapt to eating other animals like mice, frogs, lizards, snakes, dragonflies, grasshoppers, salamanders, crabs, shrimp, crayfish, small mammals, invertebrates, amphibians, and other aquatic insects.

Even though they like to hunt alone and prefer tall trees, they generally make nests in low shrubs and in colonies.  Last week I think I found his hideout, nearby the lake dam.

Blue herons are quieter as compared to other similar species. They make calling sounds such as "kraak", "fraunk", and "ar" when they are interrupted while flying, feel agitated or threatened close to their nests, and when they come in contact with other species respectively.

The Herons have lifespan from 15 years to 24 years when living in the wild. While they are young, that period is considered to be their most vulnerable.

During the mating season, blue herons tend to stick to only one partner. So for the entirety of one mating season, they only have one mate.

After just 60 days of being hatched, a young Heron can start flying. Also, the biggest chick is given the most amount of food by the parents.

Another fact about this Heron is that while in flight, the wingspan of the Herons can be as wide as 6 feet. They also tend to hold their head close to their body, keeping the neck slightly bent.

The oldest heron, that has been documented, has said to lived till the age of 23 years. This can be a rare case as majority of herons don't get to live that long.

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