The Great Blue Heron and CLHS
The Great Blue Heron has been spotted flying over
our campus by our school's
very observant Biology teacher.
Fishing at Bolsa Chica Lagoon in Huntington Beach, California. (Click photo for source)
Kingdom: Animalia
Common Name:
Great Blue Heron
Scientific Name: Ardea herodias
Taxonomy:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Ciconiiformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Ardea
Species: herodias
Natural Range
This bird is mostly seen in almost all of North
and Central America. Unknown to many, it is also found in the Greater Antilles,
Caribbean, and the Galapagos. It spends its time in the north from March
till May and in the south from November till April. Click here to
see a distribution map.
Interesting Facts
The Great Blue Heron (GBH) is the largest heron
in North America. It stands about 4 feet high and weighs about 6 to 8 pounds.
Its wingspan is about 6 to 7
feet and flies about 20 to 30 miles per hour. They spend 90 percent of their
day searching for food such as fish, insects, lizards, snakes, frogs, salamanders,
and sometimes birds. GBHs are most active at dawn and dusk and will probably
be spotted near water.
Links
Find out more here:
The Great Blue Heron and CLHS
The Great Blue Heron has been spotted flying over
our campus by our school's
very observant Biology teacher.