Great Blue Heron vs Black Bittern
Ardea herodias compared with Ixobrychus flavicollis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Great Blue Heron | Black Bittern |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ardea herodias | Ixobrychus flavicollis |
| Order | Pelecaniformes | Pelecaniformes |
| Family | Ardeidae | Ardeidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 117.0 cm (46.1 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 183.0 cm (72.0 in) | 40.2 cm (15.8 in) |
| Weight | 2400.0 g (84.66 oz) | 314.0 g (11.08 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily fish, also frogs, snakes, small mammals, insects, and other birds. Hunts by standing motionless … | -- |
| Clutch Size | 2-7 | 2-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Great Blue Heron
Wetlands of all types including marshes, swamps, riverbanks, lake edges, and coastal shores. Also hunts in fields and meadows.
Song & Call Comparison
Great Blue Heron
Deep, harsh, croaking 'frahnk-frahnk' call in flight. Also gives low guttural grunts at the nest. Alarmed birds give repeated croaks. Mostly silent for such a large wader.
Black Bittern
Geographic Range & Migration
Great Blue Heron
North and Central America from Alaska and southern Canada to the Caribbean and Galapagos Islands.
Black Bittern
Conservation Status
Great Blue Heron
Black Bittern
How to Tell Them Apart
Great Blue Heron
Blue-grey body with a white head bearing a broad black stripe extending to a long black plume. Rufous-brown thighs. In flight, the neck is folded into an S-shape.
Long, dagger-like yellowish bill
Black Bittern
About These Birds
Great Blue Heron
The great blue heron is the largest heron in North America, standing up to 1.4 meters tall. These patient hunters can stand motionless for extended periods before striking at prey with remarkable speed. They nest in large colonies called heronries, often returning to the same site year after year.
Black Bittern
The Black Bittern is a medium-sized, slender heron of South and Southeast Asia and Australia, with males displaying largely black upperparts, a tawny-yellow neck, and streaked underparts. It inhabits densely vegetated wetlands, including reed beds, mangroves, and overgrown ponds and streams. It is secretive and crepuscular, feeding on fish, frogs, and aquatic invertebrates.