1400 CALORIE A DAY DIET

Great Blue Heron
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This article is about the bird. For the Music Festival, see The Great Blue Heron Music Festival.
Great Blue Heron
Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Ciconiiformes
Family: Ardeidae
Genus: Ardea
Species: A. herodias
Binomial name
Ardea herodias
Linnaeus, 1758

The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galapagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England. An all-white population found only in the Caribbean and south Florida was once known as a separate species, the Great White Heron.
Contents
[hide]

* 1 Taxonomy
* 2 Description
o 2.1 Voice
o 2.2 Similar species
* 3 Distribution and habitat
* 4 Behaviour
o 4.1 Diet
o 4.2 Breeding
* 5 In art
* 6 Gallery
* 7 References
* 8 Bibliography
* 9 External links

[edit] Taxonomy

The Great Blue Heron was one of the many species originally described by Carolus Linnaeus in his 18th century work, Systema Naturae.[2]

The Great Blue Heron is replaced in the Old World by the very similar Grey Heron, which differs in being somewhat smaller (90–98 cm), with a pale gray neck and legs, lacking the browner colors that Great Blue Heron has there. It forms a superspecies with this and also with the Cocoi Heron from South America, which differs in having more extensive black on the head, and a white breast and neck.

There are five subspecies:[3]

* Ardea herodias herodias Linnaeus, 1758. Most of North America, except as below.
* Ardea herodias fannini Chapman, 1901. The Pacific Northwest from southern Alaska south to Washington; coastal.
* Ardea herodias wardi Ridgway, 1882. Kansas and Oklahoma to northern Florida.
* Ardea herodias occidentalis Audubon, 1835. Southern Florida, Caribbean islands. Formerly known as a separate species, the Great White Heron.
* Ardea herodias cognata Bangs, 1903. Galapagos Islands.

[edit] Description

The largest North American heron, with a head-to-tail length of 91–140 cm (36-55 in), a wingspan of 167-201 cm (66-79 in), and a weight of 2–3.6 kg (4.4-8 lbs),flight feather]]s, red-brown thighs, and a paired red-brown and black stripe up the flanks; the neck is rusty-gray, with black and white streaking down the front; the head is paler, with a nearly white face, and a pair of black plumes running from just above the eye to the back of the head. The feathers on the lower neck are long and plume-like; it also has plumes on the lower back at the start of the breeding season. The bill is dull yellowish, becoming orange briefly at the start of the breeding season, and the lower legs gray, also becoming orangey at the start of the breeding season. Immature birds are duller in color, with a dull blackish-gray crown, and the flank pattern only weakly defined; they have no plumes, and the bill is dull gray-yellow.[3][4][5]

The heron stride is around 22 cm (9 in), almost in a straight line. Two of the three front toes are generally closer together. In a track the front toes as well as the back often show the small talons.[6]

The subspecies differ only slightly in size and plumage tone, with the exception of subspecies occidentalis, which as well as normal colored birds, also has a distinct white morph, known as the Great White Heron (not to be confused with the Great Egret, for which "Great White Heron" was once a common name). It is found only in south Florida and some parts of the Caribbean. The Great White Heron differs from other Great Blues in bill morphology, head plume length, and in having a total lack of pigment in its plumage. This is mainly found near salt water, and was long thought to be a separate species. Birds intermediate between the normal morph and the white morph are known as Wurdemann's Heron; these birds resemble a "normal" Great Blue with a white head.

The theory that Great White Heron may be a separate species from Great Blue Heron has again been given some support by David Sibley.[7]
[edit] Voice

The call is a harsh croak. The heron is most vocal during the breeding season, but will call occasionally at any time of the year in territorial disputes or if disturbed.

Great Blue Heron call
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Four calls of the Great Blue Heron
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[edit] Similar species

The "Great White Heron" could be confused with Great Egret but is larger, with yellow legs as opposed to the Great Egret's black legs. The Reddish Egret and Little Blue Heron could be mistaken for the Great Blue Heron, but are smaller, and lack white on the head and yellow in the bill. Erroneously, the Great Blue Heron is sometimes referred to as

I had lost 55 pounds on a diet, did it in six months, and got another 15 pounds to go, and my last 15 pounds i want to lose it the hardest. and here is how to make it.

4 egg White~Baked Asparagus N Mushroom Omelette.

In large skillet(frying pan) over med/high heat, saute, ~ 1 tsp spoon of olive oil, ~ 2 to 3 asparagus cut into pieces, ~ 1/4 cup of sliced mushrooms, ~ 1/4 cup of green onions (those long green ones) saute until brown and set aside.

Than in a large bowl beat 4 egg whites, ~ 1/4 cup skim milk, ~ Salt and pepper to taste, but i put next to none salt ~ pinch of ground nutmeg, beat well.

Than stir in the cooked veggies and add 1 oz of low fat cheese.

Pour egg mixture into a greased small baking dish, i use a small glass pie baking dish works good.

Bake, uncovered, in 375F oven for 20 to 25 mins or till set, sprinkle with snipped parsley and serve.

I find i like to bake it for a 1/2 hour, but i have been known to overcook everything, anyways good luck.