great blue heron

noun

Updated on: 10 Apr 2018

Definition of great blue heron

: a large slaty-blue American heron (Ardea herodias) that has a dark crown, showy plumes on the head and neck, is about 46 inches (117 centimeters) long, and includes a white morph — see great white heron

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Recent Examples of great blue heron from the Web

Visitors may spot snowy egrets, great blue herons, banded cormorants, wood storks, black vultures and anhingas – a.k.a.

— dewayne bevil, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Gatorland becomes bird land, and photographers flock there," 7 Apr. 2018
Several great blue herons stood on the more distant one, while harlequin ducks rested on the one closest to us.

— emilie c. harting, Philly.com, "In Washington's San Juan Islands, an expedition cruise and wondrous hiking," 8 Mar. 2018
The other morning Fraser was standing next to the flagpole overlooking the parade ground when a great blue heron carrying a gopher landed just 20 yards away.

— j.k. dineen, San Francisco Chronicle, "Glorious Presidio site seeks occupant: must be deep-pocketed do-gooder," 18 Jan. 2018
Roosevelt Island — named in honor of Theodore Roosevelt, a president who was a conservationist and a birder — is a place of unexpected contrasts: A great blue heron stood silhouetted against Georgetown’s waterfront across the river.

— susan svrluga, Washington Post, "On a frosty morning, an annual census of the city’s birds," 16 Dec. 2017
The boardwalk ends at a pavilion where visitors can see alligators floating in Mexican water lilies and hear the croaking of great blue herons.

— stephen hudak, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Oakland Nature Center appeals for help to rebuild Irma-damaged boardwalk," 21 Dec. 2017
Birds required to be protected include anhinga, cormorant, great blue heron, great egret and snowy egret, all of which have different nesting periods.

— mark schleifstein, NOLA.com, "Bayou Bridge Pipeline gets Army Corps permit for Louisiana right of way," 14 Dec. 2017
But nature is resilient, Seymour said, as a white egret and a great blue heron take off.

— carrie blackmore smith, Cincinnati.com, "Mission accomplished: land, where Ohio and Great Miami rivers meet, now protected," 20 Oct. 2017
Officers responding to a report found a great blue heron in water with a net wrapped around its beak.

— Washington Post, "Animal Watch: Officer swims to rescue great blue heron," 23 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'great blue heron.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.