Large, long legged heron with thick and pointy bill. Alternate Adult: Thick dark stripe behind eye, turning into two or three occipital plumes. Pale head. Pale eye, dark lores. Bill color ranges from dirty yellowish to yellowish-pink. Grayish sides and back of neck. White center of neck with black streaks. Grayish body. Dark front edge of wing. Black and white belly. White thighs. Dark greenish legs. Shaggy delicate plumes at base of neck and on back/wings. Basic Adult: similar to breeding, but fewer plumes, duller overall. First year: similar to adult, but lacks plumes. Drabber overall. In flight, grayish wings with dark tips and trailing edges. All ages very similar to Great Blue Heron, but Great Blue Heron has reddish tones in various places, especially visible on thighs. Gray Heron is grayer overall, less bluish than Great Blue Heron.

Length: 92 (cm) Wingspan: 175 (cm)

Habitat:

Nests and roosts in trees and shrubs. Forages in a variety of shallow wetlands including lakes, mudflats, wet or flooded fields and marshes.

Behavior:

Roosts and nests in colonies. Forages by standing still or slowly, carefully stalking prey; then grabs prey and swallows it whole.

Feeding:

Diet consists of fish, amphibians, crabs, snakes, mollusks, crustaceans, small rodents and birds.