Birds
Great blue heron
Ardea herodiasConservation statusLeast Concern
DietFish, crabs, lizards and young iguanas
LifespanAbout 15 years
Size and weightAbout 1.2 m, wingspan about 1.8 m
The largest heron in the Galápagos: bluish-gray, with a long neck and a black stripe above the eye.
Black stripe above the eye
What makes it specialStands still at the water's edge and strikes with a quick stab of its bill.
Surprising factAlso hunts young marine iguanas.
PopulationCommon across the Americas, and also nests in the Galápagos.
The water's edge and rock pools