Beloved neighbor and I saw another big wading bird when walking the other day.
What is it?
Note the black on the head and on the belly area (folded wings?), the chestnut area on the neck, the yellow bill, the pale legs.
And in this picture, the long neck is folded down:
It’s a Great Blue Heron.
There are some beautiful pictures on the Kiawah Conservancy web site:
Great Blue Herons
And below is information from the online AI search site that appears when you search Great Blue Heron:
The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) is a large, grayish-blue wading bird common in South Carolina’s wetlands, marshes, and coastal areas like Hilton Head and the Sea Islands, known for its patient hunting of fish and frogs in shallow waters, often seen near lagoons and tidal flats, and building large stick nests from December to March. These graceful birds, standing up to four feet tall with a six-foot wingspan, are a beloved part of the Lowcountry’s ecosystem, easily spotted due to their distinct blue-gray plumage, long legs, and S-shaped neck.
Key Characteristics in SC:
- Appearance: Large, grayish-blue body, white head with a black stripe, long legs, and a dagger-like bill.
- Habitat: Found year-round in various watery environments, including marshes, rivers, mangroves, and coastal areas.
- Behavior: Solitary hunters that stand still or wade slowly, using their long toes to attract prey before striking quickly.
- Diet: Primarily fish, but also frogs, reptiles, small mammals, and insects.
• • Nesting: Build large stick nests in trees, with mating and nesting occurring from December to March in the Lowcountry.
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