Great Blue Heron and children
Acrylic on masonite, 24 x 36 in. (2000)

The great though seemingly ungainly blue heron is almost 5 feet tall with a wingspan in the 6 foot range. You would think such a large bird would prefer large expanses of ground for a next site, but no: their preference is for trees with few (but strong) branches.

They build nests of sticks, and hatch three or four even more rather odd looking chicks, complete with a punk-like hair-do. Their call — or should I say croak — sounds a little like a raven on steroids. Their diet is largely aquatic fare which they grasp (or sometimes spear) in their bayonet of a beak.

Please do not reproduce the images in this display.
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