Herons grow into large birds, but when they’re tiny, they are true terrors. When Beebs’ dad rescued a baby heron, he discovered how terrifying they can be. The man kept the small bird he rescued in a canvas bucket under a towel. The bird surprised them both when they lifted the towel.
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Did you jump (we did)? That little dude lunged out from under that towel, and he meant business! Juvenile herons make it really easy to imagine that birds descended from dinosaurs. Their feathers are spikey, grey, and growing in patches. They have long, skinny necks and long beaks that resemble depictions of pterodactyls.
The little rescued bird lunged out from under that towel like a velociraptor looking for a meal! Here is a better image of a juvenile heron that is older than the bird rescued by Beebs’ dad. This image shows the majestic stature of this proud bird without the angry dinosaur aspect.
Great blue herons are located in every state in the United States. They stay near marshy areas along riverbanks and shorelines but feed in open fields and farmland. They are a nuisance around fish hatcheries because they see “Free Fish!” signs everywhere. The average lifespan of a heron is around 15 years. The oldest recorded heron was found in Texas at around 24.
Despite their large stature, herons only weigh five to six pounds. Like all birds, they have hollow bones. Herons hunt day and night due to special receptors in their eyes that aid in night vision. They are capable of sloth-like slowness when searching for food but fast as lightning when hunting. Herons can use their long, flexible neck to strike prey like snakes.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here and here.
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