Coal Creek Wildlife-Great Blue Heron

The Blue Heron by Brian, age 8

The blue heron is waiting for its dinner. Its sharp eyes are waiting for the frog to stick its head out of the water. Then suddenly it plunges down and stabs the bull frog! The blue heron eats bugs, frogs, reptiles, amphibians, snakes, small birds, trout, and catfish. It is the biggest heron with the widest wingspan, which is 42 to 52 inches wide. Its enemies are peregrine falcons, hawks, owls, and ravens. The blue heron lives in Colorado, Mexico, and Canada. Herons have a territory and build their nests by rocks, ledges, cliffs, and tree tops.Today there are 61 different kinds.

I got my information from WATER BIRDS and COLORADO WILDLIFE by Jeff Rennicke.

Great Blue Heron by Erica, age 8

What do you think the great blue heron eats? Well, it's kind of weird. It searches the shores for crayfish, frogs, small amphibians, snakes and small birds. The great blue heron's neck is bent like an S. It also has blue feathers on its upper back and sun yellow eyes. The great blue heron is a bird with a long pointed bill and long legs. All herons in flight stretch their long legs out behind them but curl their head between their shoulders. Great blue herons roost in flocks but hunt alone. In 1986 a new place that herons nest was found. It is a ponderosa pine forest. The great blue heron's nesting places are called heronies. Their nests are made in trees or bushes. The female lays 3 to 6 eggs. The parents carry the food until they can fly. 70 percent of the great blue heron babies die.

I got my info. from COLORADO WILDLIFE by Jeff Rennicke and THE WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA.

Great Blue Heron by Thomas, age 9

In the still water of Boulder Creek, you see a splash in the water. The great blue heron flies down like a lightning bolt in the air. They are found in ponds, rivers, streams and marshes from the plains to the western slope. They migrate to Mexico and return to Colorado in February. They return to the same trees. They live in flocks in the tree tops. They build a nest called a heronry. In some places over 100 heronrys were spotted. The great blue heron lays 4 to 7 eggs. She lays the eggs in April or May. It takes 25 to 29 days for them to hatch. The hatchlings fly after two months. The birds, as soon they are grownups, stand 42 to 52 inches tall with a six foot wingspan. Hack owls and ravens eat their eggs.

I got my information from a book called COLORADO WILDLIFE by Jeff Rennicke.

Great Blue Heron by Will J., age 9

If you see a bird with long slender neck and long legs, it may be a heron. Does it have a long pointed bill? Is it mostly blue? If so, it is a great blue heron. Also it has long legs so it can stand in deep waters. The heron stands in shallow water and watches for fish, frogs and other water creatures. The heron likes to eat fish, small mammals, reptiles, amphibian, insects, larvae and frogs. The heron has a long pointed bill. It has good eyes so it can see fish swimming in water. It uses its bill to jab its prey.

I got my information from BIRD ALBUM by Tom McGowen and WILDLIFE OF THE WORLD, VOL. 5, published by Marshall Cavendish.

Please sign our GUESTBOOK