Great Blue Heron
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
Lewis provided detailed descriptions of “the large blue and brown herons, or Crains as they are usually called in the U States,” noting they were found below tide water on the Columbia River. He carefully distinguished them as water-dependent birds in his March 1806 natural history observations. Clark also documented these birds among species that “obtain their Subsistence from the water” alongside fishing hawks, kingfishers, and gulls.
Where it’s being seen today
58 research-grade iNaturalist observations between 2012–2025. Most recent: 2025-12-24. Sourced from Terrain360 trail captures, cached locally.
Journal References
9 journal entries mention Great Blue Heron
