One of our most beautiful R.I. birds is the great blue heron. This classic drawing by John James Audubon captures the heron's grace and quirky personality.
Click on "Read more" to learn more about the heron, listen to its squawk,
and find out where you can see one.
You're most likely to spot our great blue heron in shallow water in Bay coves or freshwater wetlands, usually solitary, where he waits patiently for a fish to come by. The heron stands still and quiet, watching, then darts quickly to snatch the fish with his long bill and gulp it down. Herons also eat frogs, turtles, mice, and other small creatures. Occasionally you'll find one roosting in a tree. Full-grown herons are about 3 to 4.5 feet high, with a wing span of over 6 feet.
Our herons like their solitude, and while they might tolerate you for a while, especially if you are still and quiet, they don't like to be looked at, even from a distance. Generally they will swoop off, flying gracefully with strong beats of their long wings, and they might squawk at you as they go, to show their irritation. A flying heron is reminiscent of a pterodactyl, with his long neck folded back into his shoulders, and a prehistoric look.
Usually you'll find the great blue heron to be solitary, but occasionally they turn up among groups of other wading birds. The great white heron (or egret) looks very similar but is completely white. The two birds are generally considered to be variants of the same species.
Strangely, great blue herons that live in Florida tend to be much more social than ours, and will come right up onto docks to take gifts of fish from tourists. They are the same species as our Rhode Island herons, but they don't seem to be as cranky about maintaining their space.
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