great blue heron
noun
: 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
Examples of great blue heron in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The park also serves as a springtime rookery for a local population of great blue herons.
—
Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024
Not only that, but the resort has proposed several 4-foot-wide informational signs, including one that explains the sea level rise challenges facing Mission Bay and another identifying the various birds local to Mission Bay, from the great blue heron to the snowy egret.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2024
Hundreds of millions of the little, silvery fish play a crucial role in the ecology of coastal waters all along the Eastern Seaboard, feeding bigger fish like striped bass and weakfish; marine mammals including whales and dolphins; and birds like bald eagles, great blue herons and brown pelicans.
—Jon Hurdle, New York Times, 11 July 2023
During a stroll along the central pond, guests can marvel at great blue herons, cormorants, and the peculiar-looking Florida softshell turtle, while the sparkling waters just past the park are a haven for sea ducks, saltwater fish, and, of course, Florida’s native manatees.
—Jared Ranahan, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2023
The highlight of the hike is a 17-acre beaver pond where great blue herons nest in the spring.
—Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 28 June 2023
In Illinois, put in for a quiet 10-mile stretch of the Galena River to see bald eagles and great blue herons as well as a historic railroad bridge and what’s left of the Galena Lock and Dam, built in 1890.
—Ellen Wulfhorst, USA TODAY, 29 May 2023
From Buttercup Farm Audubon Sanctuary's six miles of nature trails through woods and marshes, birders can spot bald eagles, great blue herons, and hummingbirds.
—Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 28 May 2023
On the leisurely float, keep your eyes peeled for great blue herons, swallows and wood ducks.
—Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 May 2023
Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024
Not only that, but the resort has proposed several 4-foot-wide informational signs, including one that explains the sea level rise challenges facing Mission Bay and another identifying the various birds local to Mission Bay, from the great blue heron to the snowy egret.
—Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2024
Hundreds of millions of the little, silvery fish play a crucial role in the ecology of coastal waters all along the Eastern Seaboard, feeding bigger fish like striped bass and weakfish; marine mammals including whales and dolphins; and birds like bald eagles, great blue herons and brown pelicans.
—Jon Hurdle, New York Times, 11 July 2023
During a stroll along the central pond, guests can marvel at great blue herons, cormorants, and the peculiar-looking Florida softshell turtle, while the sparkling waters just past the park are a haven for sea ducks, saltwater fish, and, of course, Florida’s native manatees.
—Jared Ranahan, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2023
The highlight of the hike is a 17-acre beaver pond where great blue herons nest in the spring.
—Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 28 June 2023
In Illinois, put in for a quiet 10-mile stretch of the Galena River to see bald eagles and great blue herons as well as a historic railroad bridge and what’s left of the Galena Lock and Dam, built in 1890.
—Ellen Wulfhorst, USA TODAY, 29 May 2023
From Buttercup Farm Audubon Sanctuary's six miles of nature trails through woods and marshes, birders can spot bald eagles, great blue herons, and hummingbirds.
—Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 28 May 2023
On the leisurely float, keep your eyes peeled for great blue herons, swallows and wood ducks.
—Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 May 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'great blue heron.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Great blue heron.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/great%20blue%20heron. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
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