Great Blue Heron

This is a large, slaty-gray primary feather from a Great Blue Heron. These birds are the largest herons in North America, standing up to 4.5 feet tall with a massive 6-foot wingspan. They are known for their slow, rhythmic wingbeats and their 'S' shaped neck profile during flight.

Uniform slaty blue-gray on the vanes; the rachis is dark toward the distal end and fades to a pale, translucent cream at the calamus (base).

Pennaceous and tightly interlocked for flight efficiency; the trailing edge shows heavy wear and separation of barbs.

Matte finish with a slightly stiff, coarse texture; lacks the soft, silenced down of an owl feather.

Large size, uniform blue-gray coloration, thick pale calamus, and the specific curvature associated with large wading bird primaries.

Wetlands, marshes, lake shores, river banks, and coastal bays; can also be found in flooded fields and backyard ponds.

Widespread throughout North and Central America; residents in the southern half of the US, while northern populations migrate south in winter.

Top-tier wetland predator; controls populations of fish, amphibians, and even small rodents. Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.

Sandhill Crane (more brownish-gray), Great Egret (pure white), or various large Gulls (typically have black tips or different gray shading).

Great Blue Herons have specialized 'powder down' feathers on their chest that they crush into a powder with their middle toes to help remove fish slime from their plumage.

Fair to Poor condition; the vane shows significant ruffling, separation, and physical damage (missing sections of barbs) likely caused by environmental wear or scavenging.