North Dakota · Year-round resident

Great Blue Herons in North Dakota

When great blue herons are present in North Dakota, when they nest, which native North Dakota plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–4b yard.

Herons and egrets (Ardeidae)Great Blue HeronArdea herodias

Status in North Dakota: Year-round resident
Nesting window: March–June
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 3a–4b

When to expect great blue herons in North Dakota

Great Blue Herons live in North Dakota all year. Severe winters to −30°F; Snow Buntings and redpolls arrive from the Arctic. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.

Continental northern prairie with prairie-pothole wetlands and the Missouri River breaks.

Nesting in North Dakota

Across North Dakota, great blue herons typically nest from March–June. Plan around that window: February for setup, June for clean-out.

Short, warm summers with a peak nesting season in June.

Great Blue Herons don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as bur oak, black cherry, american elderberry for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.

Native North Dakota plants that attract great blue herons

Of the regional native plants we track for North Dakota, these 8 provide food or cover great blue herons use:

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

New England aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae · Perennial

Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Paper birch

Betula papyrifera · Tree

Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.

Sugar maple

Acer saccharum · Tree

Hosts hundreds of caterpillar species; spring flowers draw early insects.

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Feeding great blue herons through the North Dakota year

Top foods: None — visits ponds with fish.
In North Dakota's winter: Severe winters to −30°F; Snow Buntings and redpolls arrive from the Arctic.

Full diet breakdown for great blue herons · Best feeder for great blue herons

Frequently asked

Are great blue herons in North Dakota year-round?

Yes. Great Blue Herons are year-round residents in North Dakota.

When do great blue herons nest in North Dakota?

Nesting in North Dakota typically runs March–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 2–7 eggs, incubated for 25–30 days.

What native plants attract great blue herons in North Dakota?

Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, New England aster, Tall goldenrod, Paper birch, Sugar maple, Chokecherry are native plants in North Dakota that provide food or cover for great blue herons.

Other backyard birds in North Dakota

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren House Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Red-headed Woodpecker Red-breasted Nuthatch Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Indigo Bunting Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Eastern Screech-Owl Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Black-billed Magpie Spotted Towhee Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe White-crowned Sparrow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove American Crow Common Raven Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Wood Duck Wild Turkey Mallard Belted Kingfisher Eastern Meadowlark Brown-headed Cowbird Golden-crowned Kinglet Red Crossbill Field Sparrow Gray Catbird Western Tanager Lark Sparrow Hooded Merganser Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Ovenbird Yellow-breasted Chat Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Eastern Wood-Pewee Least Flycatcher Western Kingbird Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Eastern Whip-poor-will Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper American Woodcock Green Heron Great Egret Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Barn Owl Burrowing Owl Savannah Sparrow Harris's Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Dickcissel Blue Grosbeak Common Redpoll Hoary Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Bohemian Waxwing Yellow-billed Cuckoo Bobolink Yellow-headed Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Rock Pigeon

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.