Cute Big Cranky

January 29, 2010 in New Birds and Herons with 5 comments

The Great Blue Heron is our 227th cute Birdorable and the answer to yesterday's Spot the Birdorable. If you live in North America you've probably seen these around near water as they are quite common. It has several nicknames, including Big Cranky, Blue Crane, Long John and Poor Joe. Did you know that all Herons have two or more patches of powder-down feathers on their breasts? The feathers break up into a fine power when crushed. The birds apply this powder to areas of blood, mud or slime to absorb the mess. Once it has clumped up they can just scrape it off with their feet. They also sprinkle the powder on fish that they just caught to more easily clean off the slime and oil before eating it.

Photo by Gary Woodburn (via Flickr)

If you like this bird see our other egrets and waders. We've also added the grey equivalent of this bird: the Grey Heron, which can be found across temperate Europe, Asia and parts of Africa.

Comments

Canaduck on January 29, 2010 at 9:37 PM wrote:

That is SO cute. I've never heard GBH's being called "Big Cranky" before, but the name fits, to be sure!

Kim B. on June 9, 2011 at 2:32 PM wrote:

I love GBH. Which reminds me that I need to go over the the heronry/rookery and check out the babies.

molly on October 1, 2011 at 1:49 AM wrote:

awwwwwwwww its soooo cute

Spurwing Plover on April 12, 2020 at 5:02 AM wrote:

I have seen Great Blue Herons my Grandma called them Icabods

Reed on May 14, 2020 at 1:10 PM wrote:

I see alot of GBHS at falls lake which is the lake near my house

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