Diet
What do great blue herons eat?
Fish, frogs and small mammals stalked in shallow water.
Herons and egrets (Ardeidae)Great Blue HeronArdea herodias
Spring and summer diet
- Fish, frogs, crayfish and voles
Fall and winter diet
- Fish and any open-water prey
Best feeder foods
- None — visits ponds with fish
A regular at backyard ponds; net or decoy-protect ornamental fish if one moves in.
Where great blue herons need winter food
Regions where great blue herons are present in the cold months:
AlabamaArizonaArkansasBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNova ScotiaOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaQuebecRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Frequently asked
What do great blue herons eat?
Fish, frogs and small mammals stalked in shallow water.
What is the best food to feed great blue herons?
None — visits ponds with fish.
What do great blue herons eat in winter?
Fish and any open-water prey.
Sources
- Great Blue Heron — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Great Blue Heron life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Great Blue Heron — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
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.