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Great Blue Heron Continued. All of the photos on this page were taken in Lake County, Florida.

The bill of the Great Blue Heron is yellow with a dusky culmen (the top part of the bill). Lores are yellow to dull green, except during breeding when the lores are a bright green, and their legs are a greenish brown.

During Heron courtship, the male selects a place for the nest and sets out to attrack a female. The primary display is the Stretch. It consists of the heron lifting its head and closed bill towards the verticle. At the peak, a call may be given. As the head is brought down the legs are usually flexed, and in some species a bill-snap is given. The crest and the plumage of the lower neck and scapulars are usually erected.

When a displaying male has attracted potentially interested females, he enters the bachelor stage where he peforms displays towards a potential mate such as the Wing Preen, Stretch, or Bill Clappering.

During nest building, the male gathers twigs and presents them to the female. The female positions them in the nest. After egg-laying, the briliant soft-parts colours used in courtship fade rapidly, and displays cease totally.