Northwest Territories · Summer breeder

Great Blue Herons in Northwest Territories

When great blue herons are present in Northwest Territories, when they nest, which native Northwest Territories plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canada 0a–1a yard.

Herons and egrets (Ardeidae)Great Blue HeronArdea herodias

Status in Northwest Territories: Summer breeder
Nesting window: March–June
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: Canada 0a–1a

When to expect great blue herons in Northwest Territories

Great Blue Herons are summer residents in Northwest Territories, arriving shortly before nesting begins in March and leaving after the young are independent.

Subarctic boreal forest in the south, Arctic tundra in the north.

Nesting in Northwest Territories

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

Brief summers with midnight sun.

Great Blue Herons don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as paper birch, chokecherry, balsam fir for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.

Native Northwest Territories plants that attract great blue herons

Of the regional native plants we track for Northwest Territories, these 7 provide food or cover great blue herons use:

Paper birch

Betula papyrifera · Tree

Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Balsam fir

Abies balsamea · Tree

Spruce-budworm habitat and dense winter roosting cover.

White spruce

Picea glauca · Tree

Cone crops drive winter irruptions of finches and crossbills.

Tamarack

Larix laricina · Tree

Deciduous conifer with small cones for siskins and redpolls.

Willow (Bebb)

Salix bebbiana · Shrub

Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds.

Dwarf birch

Betula glandulosa · Shrub

Catkin seed for redpolls on the tundra.

Feeding great blue herons through the Northwest Territories year

Top foods: None — visits ponds with fish.
In Northwest Territories's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

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

Frequently asked

Are great blue herons in Northwest Territories year-round?

No. Great Blue Herons are summer breeders in Northwest Territories and leave for the winter.

When do great blue herons nest in Northwest Territories?

Nesting in Northwest Territories 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 Northwest Territories?

Paper birch, Chokecherry, Balsam fir, White spruce, Tamarack, Willow (Bebb), Dwarf birch are native plants in Northwest Territories that provide food or cover for great blue herons.

Other backyard birds in Northwest Territories

Black-capped Chickadee Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Red-winged Blackbird Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pine Siskin Common Redpoll Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow Canada Jay White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Varied Thrush American Crow Common Raven Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Mallard Belted Kingfisher Brown-headed Cowbird Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Winter Wren Pine Grosbeak Red Crossbill Western Tanager Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Black-and-white Warbler Ovenbird Orange-crowned Warbler Palm Warbler Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo Least Flycatcher Cliff Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Osprey Bald Eagle Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Black-backed Woodpecker American Three-toed Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Harris's Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Common Redpoll Hoary Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Bohemian Waxwing Rusty 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.