great blue heron

noun

1. a large American heron, Ardea herodias, having bluish-gray plumage.

Word History and Origins

Origin of great blue heron¹

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

Example Sentences

Nearby, a great blue heron stood motionless in shallow water.

From Los Angeles Times

You might also see a green or great blue heron, or a black-crowned night heron.

From Los Angeles Times

Yet another reader described a “magical” spot at Stinson Beach in Marin County, where birders could watch scores of snowy egrets and great blue herons nest.

From Los Angeles Times

On the worst days, a great blue heron lands in the backyard, and I become entirely unhinged.

From Seattle Times

These include heron tracks, each about the same size as a modern great blue heron, or around 4 inches long and wide.

From Seattle Times