The Great Blue Heron

The long-legged, long-necked bird you’ve spotted at the edge of your lake isn’t a "crane," although it’s often misidentified as one — it’s a Great Blue Heron. Standing almost four feet high, with a blue-gray body, white face, and black head stripe or plume, this distinctive member of the heron and egret family is found throughout the U.S., including in abundance here in the Southeast. In addition to lakeside sightings, these wading birds are spotted alongside rivers, streams, in wetlands and wet meadows, and even in roadside drainage ditches. Great Blue Herons typically nest above-ground in tall shrubs or trees, so a heron at waterside is most likely on the hunt — which, for the heron, entails standing motionless in shallow water and waiting for hapless prey to move within striking distance. The Great Blue Heron’s diet consists primarily of fish, but also can include frogs, turtles, and even small snakes and rodents, all of which are speared by the heron’s bill and then swallowed whole. If you’re hoping for a sighting of one of these impressive birds, their most active periods just after dawn and before dusk are your best bets.