The great blue heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North America and Central America, as well as the Caribbean and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to coastal Spain, the Azores, and areas of far southern Europe. An all-white population found in south Florida and the Florida Keys is known as the great white heron. Debate exists about whether this represents a white color morph of the great blue heron, a subspecies of it, or an entirely separate species. The status of white individuals known to occur elsewhere in the Caribbean, and their existence is rarely found elsewhere besides in eastern North America. Source: Wikipedia
Citation:
Linnaeus, C 1758
Reference:
Systema Naturae ed. 10
1 p.143
Protonym:
Ardea Herodias
Avibase ID:
93694BB5492F7012
Avibase ID:
avibase-93694BB5
Short link:
https://avibase.ca/93694BB5
Taxonomic Serial Number:
TSN: 174773
Geographic range:
Authorities recognizing this taxonomic concept:
African Bird Club Checklist August 2005: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
African Bird Club Checklist March 2007: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
African Bird Club Checklist January 2008: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
African Bird Club Checklist May 2009: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
African Bird Club Checklist March 2010: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 5th edition (incl. 32nd suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 5th edition (incl. 33rd suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 5th edition (incl. 34th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (1983): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 35th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 36th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 37th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 38th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 39th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 40th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 6th edition (incl. 41st suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (1998): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 42nd suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 43rd suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 44th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 45th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 46th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 47th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 48th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 49th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 50th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 51st suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 52nd suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 53rd suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 54th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 55th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 56th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Union 7th edition (incl. 57th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 58th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 59th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 60th suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 61st suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 61st suppl. and addendum): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 62nd suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
American Ornithologists' Society 7th edition (incl. 63rd suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts (current): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 2023 (May 2023): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 01 (August 2013): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 02 (May 2014): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 03 (March 2015): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 04 (Aug 2016): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 05 (Jan 2017): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 06 (Feb 2018): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 07 (Feb 2020): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 08 (Feb 2021): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 00: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 01: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 02: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 03: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 04: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 05 (Jun 2012): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 05.1 (Oct 2012): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 06 (Nov 2013): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 06.1 (Feb 2014): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 07 (Jul 2014): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 08 (Oct 2015): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 09 (Dec 2016): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 09.1 (Jun 2017): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v2 (Dec 2017): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v3 (Nov 2018): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v4 (Dec 2019): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
British Ornithologists' Union Checklist (7th edition, incl. Jan 2009 suppl.): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Commission internationale pour les noms français des oiseaux (1993, révision 2009): Grand Héron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Commission internationale pour les noms français des oiseaux (1993): Grand Héron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 1st edition: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2021: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2022: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2023: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 3rd edition: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 4th edition: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (as published): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2000 revisions): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2001 revisions): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2002 revisions): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2003 revisions): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2004 revisions): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2005 revisions): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2007 revisions): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2008 revisions): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2009 revisions): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.5 incl. 2010 revisions): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.6 incl. 2011 revisions): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.7 incl. 2012 revisions): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.8 incl. 2013 revisions): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.9 incl. 2014 revisions): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2015: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2016: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2017: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2018: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2019: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.50: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.52: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.53: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.54: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.55: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
eBird version 2015: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
eBird version 2016: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
eBird version 2017: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
eBird version 2018: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
eBird version 2019: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
eBird version 2021: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
eBird version 2022: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
eBird version 2023: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 2nd edition: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 2nd edition (incl. ? suppl): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (as published): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 1.2): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 2.1): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 3.1): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 4): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 5): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 6): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 7): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 8): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 4th edition (vol. 1-2): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 4th edition (incl. corrigenda vol.1-2): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World (vol 1-16): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (31/01/2015): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (03/07/2017): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2017): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2018): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.0: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.1: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.5: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.6: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.7: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.0: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.1: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.2: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.3: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.4: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.5: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.6: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.7: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.8: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.9: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.10: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.11: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.1: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.2: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.3: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.4: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.5: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.1: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.2: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.3: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.4: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.1: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.2: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.3: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.4: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.1: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.2: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.3: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.4: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.1: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.2: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.3: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 8.1: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 8.2: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 9.1: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 9.2: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 10.1: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 10.2: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 11.1: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 11.2: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 12.1: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 12.2: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 13.1: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Morony, Bock and Farrand: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Peters' Check-list of the Birds: Ardea herodias [version 1] |
Peters' Check-list of the Birds (2nd edition): Ardea herodias [version 1] |
Sibley and Monroe (1993): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Sibley and Monroe (1993, including corrections up to 1998): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Sibley and Monroe, Birds of the World Version 2.0: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (24/10/2003): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (14/09/2005): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (16/07/2006): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (26/09/2007): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (01/05/2008): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (30/09/2009): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (19/08/2010): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (8/08/2011): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (8/02/2012): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (4/09/2012): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (17/03/2013): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (9/02/2014): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (16/02/2015): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (28/07/2016): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (22/04/2017): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (4/06/2018): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (6/06/2019): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (20/02/2020): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (8/06/2020): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (24/08/2021): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
South American Classification Committee (24/07/2022): Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Working Group Avian Checklists, version 0.01: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Working Group Avian Checklists, version 0.02: Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias) [version 1] |
Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource: Ardea herodias [version 1] |
Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource: Ardea herodias [version 1] |
Taxonomic status:
Species status: full species
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Other synonyms
See also the taxonomic synonyms table.
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