Basic Nest Building

Male Great Blue Herons arrive at the colony and settle on nest sites; from there, they court passing females. The male heron collects much of the nest material, gathering sticks from the ground and nearby shrubs and trees, and from unguarded and abandoned nests, then presenting them to the female. She either accepts or rejects the offered branches. If rejected she tosses them aside, sending the male back to try again. The female heron weaves a platform with the gathered sticks and a saucer-shaped nest cup for the eggs, lining it with pine needles, moss, reeds, dry grass, or small twigs.

Nest building can take from 3 days up to 2 weeks; the finished nest can range from a simple platform measuring 20 inches across to more elaborate structures used over multiple years, reaching 4 feet across and nearly 3.5 feet deep. ~ All About Birds

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