A painting of the Great Blue Heron by Wayne Ngan in the Natural History Exhibit.

Our featured Treasure of the Month for May is a Great Blue Heron (Ardea Herodias):   A grey-blue bird with black plume on his head who stands tall near the herring life-cycle display. On Hornby Island, these birds are found in every season. They are most often spotted along the shoreline, where their long legs, neck, and bill allow them to wade and spear fish. They also hunt amphibians, small water mammals, and insects in the shadows of dawn and dusk.

Great Blue Herons live in large colonies. They build large stick platforms in trees and raise 3-7 young. Their call is a harsh croak and they give a loud “grak” when alarmed.

The bird at the Exhibit was found by the late Mark Hayward. He found the heron floating in Fords Cove after a storm. This heron is a male in full breeding plumage.

The Hayward Heron was found after a storm at Ford Cove.