I was hiking on a trail (both sides had water...like a swamp). Blue Heron came out of nowhere 👀. Had to duck... Scared the mess out of me, they are huge.

Don't worry. They're beautiful.

lol we have a protected wildlife area next to our house in the Okanagan in Vernon , BC. There’s about 20 of them at all times in their massive nests in the tops of their trees. Making their wretched sounds all night long haha. They are cool though.

I live up the hill from an estuary on a Pacific Canadian island. There's a very large group of nests in the trees in our neighborhood. The Herons are very quiet most of the time, but there are occasions when they all decide to get loud together, and it's one of the scariest sounds I've heard, before realizing what was making it. Terrible screeching racket. It is amazing to see the birds all start arriving from the day's fishing, flying in to the treetops around sunset.

"Greatest fishers" might have a little competition from my diving friend, the kingfisher. I raise a mug of burnt bean juice to a long and healthy competition for top spot. Cheers.

Thanks for watching

There's a board at our local zoo that has bird wingspans and you're supposed to spread your arms and see which bird you match up with. These birds are on it and it's kind of amazing to see the perspective!

​@@AnimalFactFilesnever hugged a heron? Well, there's something for the bucket list. 😉

They're often seen along pond edges!

Completely agreed!

Actually, genetic research indicates that herons, along with ibises and spoonbills, the shoebill, and the hamerkop, are more closely related to pelicans and thus they make up pelicaniformes.

Actually the order Ciconiiformes just contains three extant families Ciconiidae (Storks), Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns), and Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills), the order Pelecaniformes contains ten families Rhynochetidae (Kagu), Eurypygidae (Sunbittern), Scopidae (Hamerkop), Balaenicipitidae (Shoebill), Phaethontidae (Tropicbirds), Sulidae (Boobies and Gannets), Fregatidae (Frigatebirds), Anhingidae (Darters), Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags), and Pelecanidae (Pelicans), this divides Pelecaniformes into four suborders: Eurypygae (contains 2 families: Rhynochetidae (Kagu) and Eurypygidae (Sunbittern)), Balaenicipites (contains 2 families: Scopidae (Hamerkop) and Balaenicipitidae (Shoebill)), Phaethontae (contains 1 family: Phaethontidae (Tropicbirds)), and Pelecani (contains 5 families: Sulidae (Boobies and Gannets), Fregatidae (Frigatebirds), Anhingidae (Darters), Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags), and Pelecanidae (Pelicans)), within Pelecaniformes, the suborders Eurypygae (Sunbittern and Kagu) and Balaenicipites (Shoebill and Hamerkop) are basal suborders within Pelecaniformes with Eurypygae being the most basal, while Balaenicipites is the sister group to the Phaethontae + Pelecani clade, Ciconiiformes (Storks, Herons, Egrets, Bitterns, Ibises, and Spoonbills) and Pelecaniformes (Pelicans, Cormorants, Shags, Darters, Frigatebirds, Boobies, Gannets, Tropicbirds, Shoebill, Hamerkop, Sunbittern, and Kagu) are sister groups and are the only extant orders that comprise the clade Ciconiopelecanae.

@@indyreno2933 you can’t solely consider how they relate to each other by morphology alone. Genetic research has helped clarify taxonomic relationships. Now there are still some taxons that are still debated, but that’s the thing about research, it helps build our understanding.

That's because, there are only thirty extant orders of birds 1) Tinamiformes (Tinamous (contains 1 family: Tinamidae (Tinamous))) 2) Rheiformes (New World Ratites (contains 1 family: Rheidae (Rheas))) 3) Struthioniformes (Old World Ratites (contains 1 family: Struthionidae (Ostriches))) 4) Apterygiformes (Kiwis (contains 1 family: Apterygidae (Modern Kiwis))) 5) Casuariiformes (contains 2 families: Dromaiidae (Emu and Fossil Relatives) and Casuariidae (Cassowaries and Fossil Relatives))) 6) Opisthocomiformes (Hoatzin and Fossil Relatives (contains 1 family: Opisthocomidae (Hoatzin))) 7) Falconiformes (Birds of Prey (contains 9 families: Cariamidae (Seriamas), Sagittariidae (Secretarybird), Aquilidae (Eagles), Accipitridae (Hawks, Buzzards, Kites, and Harriers), Pandionidae (Ospreys), Aegypiidae (Old World Vultures), Cathartidae (New World Vultures), Caracaridae (Caracaras), and Falconidae (Falcons, Kestrels, Hobbies, and Falconets))) 8) Galliformes (Gamebirds (contains 9 families: Megapodiidae (Megapodes), Cracidae (Curassows, Guans, and Chachalacas), Numididae (Guineafowl), Rollulidae (Jungle Partridges), Phasianidae (Pheasants, Monals, Minae Partridges, and Tragopans), Odontophoridae (New World Partridges and Quails), Perdicidae (Old World Partridges and Quails), Tetraonidae (Grouse, Turkeys, and Koklass Pheasants), and Gallidae (Chickens, Bamboo Partridges, Francolins, Spurfowl, Peafowl, Arguses, Peacock Pheasants, Crimson-Headed Partridge, African Forest Partridges, Snowcocks, Dwarf Quails, Malagasy Partridge, and Desert Partridges))) 9) Anseriformes (Waterfowl (contains 6 families: Anhimidae (Screamers), Anseranatidae (Magpie Goose), Anseridae (Geese and Swans), Dendrocygnidae (Oriental Ducks), Anatidae (True Ducks), and Mergidae (Mergansers and Scoters))) 10) Gruiformes (Cranes, Rails, and Relatives (contains 6 families: Sarothuridae (Flufftails, Woodrails, and Forest Rails), Heliornithidae (Finfoots), Rallidae (Rails, Crakes, Sora, Gallinules, Nativehens, Swamphens, Moorhen, Watercock, and Coots), Psophiidae (Trumpeters), Aramidae (Limpkin), and Gruidae (Cranes))) 11) Charadriiformes (Shorebirds (contains 20 families: Turnicidae (Buttonquails), Pedionomidae (Plains Wanderer), Thinocoridae (Seedsnipes), Rostratulidae (Painted Snipes), Jacanidae (Jacanas), Scolopacidae (Woodcocks, Snipes, Curlews, Sandpipers, Godwits, Dowitchers, Phalaropes, Shanks, Tattlers, Turnstones, Knots, Stints, Dunlin, Ruff, and Surfbird), Charadriidae (Plovers and Lapwings), Pluvianellidae (Magellanic Plover), Recurvirostridae (Avocets and Stilts), Ibidorhynchidae (Ibisbill), Haematopodidae (Oystercatchers), Burhinidae (Stone-Curlews), Chionidae (Sheathbills), Glareolidae (Pratincoles and Coursers), Dromadidae (Crab Plover), Pluvianidae (Crocodile Bird), Laridae (Gulls), Stercorariidae (Skuas), Sternidae (Terns, Skimmers, and Noddies), and Fraterculidae (Puffins, Razorbill, Auks, Auklets, Guillemots, Murres, and Murrelets))) 12) Ciconiiformes (Storks, Herons, Egrets, Bitterns, Ibises, and Spoonbills (contains 3 families: Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills), Ciconiidae (Storks), and Ardeidae (Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns))) 13) Pelecaniformes (Pelicans and Relatives (contains 10 families: Rhynochetidae (Kagu), Eurypygidae (Sunbittern), Scopidae (Hamerkop), Balaenicipitidae (Shoebill), Phaethontidae (Tropicbirds), Sulidae (Boobies and Gannets), Fregatidae (Frigatebirds), Anhingidae (Darters), Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags), and Pelecanidae (Pelicans))) 14) Procellariiformes (Petrels, Shearwaters, Fulmars, Prions, Albatrosses, and Storm Petrels (contains 4 families: Oceanitidae (Southern Storm Petrels), Hydrobatidae (Northern Storm Petrels), Diomedeidae (Albatrosses), and Procellariidae (Petrels, Shearwaters, Fulmars, and Prions))) 15) Podicipediformes (Grebes (contains 1 family: Podicipedidae (Modern Grebes)) 16) Gaviiformes (Loons (contains 1 family: Gaviidae (Modern Loons)) 17) Phoenicopteriformes (Flamingos (contains 1 family: Phoenicopteridae (True Flamingos))) 18) Sphenisciformes (Penguins (contains 1 family: Spheniscidae (True Penguins))) 19) Pteroclidiformes (Sandgrouse and Fossil Relatives (contains 1 family: Pteroclididae (Sandgrouse)) 20) Columbiformes (Columbids and Fossil Relatives (contains 1 family: Columbidae (Columbids))) 21) Cuculiformes (Cuckoos, Turacos, Bustards, and Mesites (contains 4 families: Musophagidae (Turacos), Cuculidae (Cuckoos), Otididae (Bustards), and Mesitornithidae (Mesites))) 22) Caprimulgiformes (Nightjars and Relatives (contains 5 families: Caprimulgidae (Nightjars, Nighthawks, Poorwills, and Pauraques), Podargidae (Frogmouths), Nyctibiidae (Potoos), Aegotgelidae (Owlet Nightjars), and Steatornithidae (Oilbird))) 23) Apodiformes (Swifts and Hummingbirds (contains 3 families: Hemiprocnidae (Treeswifts), Apodidae (True Swifts), and Trochilidae (Hummingbirds))) 24) Strigiformes (Owls (contains 2 families: Tytonidae (Barn Owls, Grass Owls, Masked Owls, Ashy-Faced Owl, Sooty Owls, and Bay Owls) and Strigidae (True Owls))) 25) Trogoniformes (Trogons (contains 1 family: Trogonidae (Trogons)) 26) Piciformes (Woodpeckers, Toucans, and Relatives (contains 9 families: Bucconidae (Puffbirds), Galbulidae (Jacamars), Megalaimidae (Asiatic Barbets), Lybiidae (African Barbets), Semnornithidae (Toucan Barbet and Prong-Billed Barbet), Capitonidae (American Barbets), Ramphastidae (Toucans), Indicatoridae (Honeyguides), and Picidae (Woodpeckers))) 27) Coraciiformes (Kingfishers, Hornbills, and Relatives (contains 10 families: Coraciidae (True Rollers), Brachypteraciidae (Ground Rollers), Leptosomidae (Cuckoo Roller), Phoeniculidae (Woodhoopoes and Scimitarbills), Upupidae (Hoopoes), Bucerotidae (Hornbills), Momotidae (Motmots), Todidae (Todies), Meropidae (Bee-Eaters), and Alcedinidae (Kingfishers))) 28) Coliiformes (Mousebirds (contains 1 family: Coliidae (Mousebirds))) 29) Psittaciformes (Parrots (contains 10 families: Nestoridae (Kea and Kakas), Strigopidae (Kakapo), Nymphicidae (Cockatiel), Cacatuidae (True Cockatoos), Coracopsidae (Indian Ocean Parrots), Micropsittidae (Pygmy Parrots), Psittaculidae (Eclectus Parrots and Relatives), Loriidae (Lorikeets), Psittacellidae (Tiger Parrots and Relatives), and Psittacidae (Common Parrots))) 30) Passeriformes (Passerines (contains 150 families))

Heron is Mistaken for Puffin and 🐧 Penguin? At 0:40

No, but we both collectively worked at vet offices for almost fifteen years!