Collection: Great Blue Heron

The great blue heron ( Ardea herodias ) is Quebec's largest wading bird, found in marshes, ponds, rivers, and shorelines from spring to fall. Recognizable by its slender silhouette, long, S-shaped neck, and blue-gray plumage, it hunts silently in shallow waters. With its sharp beak, it captures fish, amphibians, crustaceans, and small mammals with formidable precision. The great blue heron nests in colonies called heronries, often located in dead trees at the edge of wetlands. It is a valuable indicator of the health of aquatic ecosystems. Although common in many regions of Quebec, it remains sensitive to habitat loss and human disturbance. Watching a great blue heron motionless in the morning mist is a moment of grace, a symbol of the tranquility of Quebec's wetlands. Its conservation reflects the balance between wild nature and fragile biodiversity.