Prize Fight

If a Great Blue Heron took on a Great Egret in a prize fight, who do you think would win?  I'd put my money on the heron.  They are bigger, extremely territorial, and have a reputation for being more aggressive.  Here are the stats.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
36 - 54 inches - head to tail length
66-79 inches - wingspan
45-54 inches - height
4.6 - 7.9 pounds

Great Blue Heron

Great Egret (Ardea alba)
31-41 inches - head to tail length
52-67 inches - wingspan
36 - 40 inches - height
1.5 - 3.3 pounds

Great Egret

Egrets are no slackers, however, and can be very territorial themselves.  I wouldn't want to mess with one of them in a narrow alley at night!

When a friend and I were walking at Sylvan Island the other day, the quiet morning was suddenly ripped to shreds by a  very loud, cranky call from the water.  Heron, right?  But it was very loud - the loudest heron either of us had ever heard.  Denise said it sounded angry to her and I agreed.  Very angry.  We knew something was going on, so we  hurried to an open point on the trail to see what was up.

A Great Blue Heron was screaming bloody murder at a Great Egret and began pursuing him through the air, intent on inflicting bodily harm.  The sound level and speed were charged with some major energy.  It left us standing there saying, "Wow!"  Too bad I don't have an audio clip or video of it to show you, instead of just this still shot, but trust me, that heron was one angry bird!

Angry Great Blue Heron chasing Great Egret

I researched these two birds after I got home, and found that we were far from the first to witness such an interaction between these two greats.  This particular battle, taking place in the fall, was probably a dispute over feeding territory.  The standings?  Heron 1; Egret  0.