Great Blue Heron

On occasion, like on 29 March 2021 at the Billy Frank Jr National Wildlife Refuge, Erika stops and points out nearby photo opportunities—like this Great Blue Heron. I have mentioned in my posts various threats faced by this species. Not the least of which is the fact that, by the 1970s, over half of the wetlands of the United States have been drained (Vennesland and Butler 2020). These authors report that, based on recent Breeding Bird Surveys, North American Great Blue Heron populations appear to be holding their own, increasing in the United States, but declining in Canada.