Great Blue Heron



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The striking silhouette of the great blue heron, Ardea herodias, is just one of its many remarkable physical features. The long, sharp bill enables the bird to hunt and stab everything from small mammals to sometimes very large fish, amphibians, snakes, and other birds. This beak turns to a deep pink or red during the breeding season, as do the heron’s legs. No less interesting is its grooming routine: specialized feathers crumble to a powder, which, after rubbing it into its other feathers, the heron combs out with its flattened third claw.

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Heron

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