Female Great Blue Herons (Male vs Female Identification)

The Great Blue Heron is the largest in North America. These highly adaptable birds are widely distributed in Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Post-mating pairs flock to breeding grounds across the continent in swamps, wetlands, grasslands, coastlines, and even agricultural areas and man-made water sources.

Distinguishing male and female great blue herons can be tricky. Female great blue herons have almost the same plumage as males. The most notable difference between the two is their size.

Females also exhibit slightly different behavior than males when it comes to nest building, feeding and incubation. This article will discuss the characteristics that make female great blue herons unique. Read on to discover more!

Size is the best way to distinguish male and female Great Blue Herons – female in the foreground, male in the background

How do you know if a great blue heron is male or female?

The size difference is the best way to tell if a great blue heron is male or female. Adult females are usually smaller than adult males. They also have smaller beaks.

Male and female great blue herons have nearly identical plumage, except that the ornamental plumage of males is on average longer than that of females. However, this difference can be difficult to discern when looking at an individual rather than a pair.

Male (Back) and Female (Front) – note the size difference

What does a female great blue heron look like?

Adult female great blue herons have beautiful gray-blue plumage on their upper body and neck. The fore neck is gray with black, white and rust brown markings. The head of the female is predominantly white with a dark blue stripe running from above the eyes to the back of the head.

The same blue feathers also cover the sides, while the underbelly is white with black stripes.

Juvenile female great blue herons can be distinguished from adults by their plumage. Juvenile is almost entirely gray. It wasn’t until the little herons fell a second time that their gray crowns turned into white stripes. By the third year, the young birds begin to grow the adult feathers.

Close-up of a Great Blue Heron

Are female great blue herons bigger than males?

Female great blue herons are no larger than males. On average, females are slightly smaller, measuring about 38 inches in length. Males, on the other hand, are usually closer to 54 inches in length. When a pair of great blue herons are together, the size difference is noticeable.

behavioral difference

Male and female blue herons share many of the same responsibilities and display very similar behaviors.

Unlike other birds, where one parent primarily takes care of the nest and chicks, while the other provides food, great blue herons share these responsibilities almost equally.

However, there are some differences worth discussing. We’ll dive into the following.

Great Blue Heron foraging on muddy shoreline

sing and call

Great blue herons have a relatively small number of calls – their calls are grouped into seven distinct sounds.this Frank The telephone is the most widely known. It emits a loud, almost prehistoric siren call when threatened or aggressive towards other birds.

On average, both male and female great blue herons are quiet birds. Vocalization is used primarily for alarm and communication during foraging and feeding young. Unlike many other bird species where males typically vocalize more than females, both male and female herons use the same seven vocalizations.

Great Blue Herons are usually silent birds

nesting and feeding

During nesting season, the male great blue heron arrives at the nest first and begins courting the female. Once a pair is formed, the male collects materials and brings them to the female, who does most of the laying or nest building.

As with nest building, both parents share the responsibility of parenting and feeding their young. The brooding period occurs within the first 3 to 4 weeks after hatching. During this time, one parent has been with the chicks. Female great blue herons usually incubate their eggs at night, while males stay in the nest throughout the day.

Once the brooding period is over, both parents begin to leave the nest to forage and bring food back for their young. Females forage for most of the day, while males mostly stay in their dens. The pair then swap duties as night falls — the female stays with the cubs while the male forages.

Breeding pair of Great Blue Heron with their young in the nest

incubation

Similar to nest building and feeding, brooding duties are shared between male and female great blue herons. One parent will remain in the den for long periods of time while the other hunts and brings back food. Males usually hatch during the day, while females take over at night.

Can a female great blue heron raise her offspring alone?

Based on the behavior of the females and males in building nests and caring for young, it is nearly impossible for a female great blue heron to raise chicks alone. Incubation, brooding, and feeding responsibilities are shared almost equally between her mates.

For a female heron, doing it all alone means leaving her chicks in a state of solitude and vulnerability for long periods of time. Otherwise, she would not be able to take care of herself or provide food for her babies.

Great Blue Heron takes off from the water

What color is a female great blue heron?

Female great blue herons are pale grayish blue with black and white stripes on the neck, chest, and belly. Their heads are white except for a broad dark blue stripe above each eye. They also have dark blue patches on their flanks.

Can a female great blue heron bark?

Female great blue herons have a variety of calls. However, they are primarily quiet birds.Their most common vocalization, at least the one heard by humans, is Frank call. This is a loud and powerful siren call used when threatened.

this go! go!go Calls are usually preceded by Frank. will be given when a slight disturbance occurs.

They also sound a second alarm or scream when the disturbance is more severe. In addition to the siren call, female great blue herons use four other calls, mainly for communication between mates and young or with flocks while foraging.