The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) is a species of heron that lives in North, Central, and South America. The Caribbean subspecies (A. h. occidentalis) is known to have a white color morph, known as the great white heron, and was once treated as a separate species. They are one of the largest herons in the world, and much bigger than most other species like the green heron. They often wade through water and use their sharp vision to spot fish in the water. Then they fold back their neck and then catapult forward. Their long, spear-like beak helps them catch their prey. They don't always eat fish, though. They have also have been seen following ducks and picking off ducklings. And they'll also attack rodents, reptiles, eggs, and amphibians also. They're generally a solitary species, but they nest together in large colonies known as rookeries during the breeding season. Predators that will eat their eggs and chicks include bobcats, coyotes, foxes and raccoons. Because of their large size, the adults have few natural predators, but large birds-of-prey (mainly bald eagles) have been known to hunt great blue herons of all ages.
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