-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Chordates (Phylum Chordata)

-Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

-Birds (Class Aves)

-Pelicans, Herons, Ibises, and Allies (Order Pelecaniformes)

-Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns (Family Ardeidae)

-Typical Herons and Egrets (Subfamily Ardeinae)

-Great Herons (Genus Ardea)

-Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

The Great Blue Heron is the largest heron in North America. Forages mostly by standing still or walking very slowly in shallow water, waiting for fish to swim near, then striking with rapid thrust of bill. Also forages on shore, from floating objects, and in grassland. May hunt by day or night. The primary food for great blue heron is small fish. It is also known to opportunistically feed on larger fish and a wide range of shrimp, crabs, aquatic insects, rodents, and other small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and birds.