Garza Azulada

Blue-grey with a white, black-striped head and a long, dagger-like bill, the Great Blue Heron is a patient ambush hunter that stands motionless in shallow water before striking with lightning speed. Fish form the bulk of its prey, along with frogs, snakes, small mammals, insects, and other birds. In flight the neck folds into an S, and rufous thighs complete the unmistakable profile. It frequents marshes, swamps, riverbanks, lake edges, and coastal shores, and also hunts in fields and meadows, from Alaska and southern Canada to the Caribbean and the Galapagos. Platform nests hold two to seven eggs, incubated for 25 to 29 days, with young fledging near 60 days. For so large a wader it is mostly silent, giving a deep, harsh croak in flight. It is assessed as Least Concern.