They eat fish, snakes, insects, mice, and frogs. They hunt by walking slowly through shallow water and striking at prey. They use the long, dagger-like bill to spear fish. You may see them standing motionless in the water with the head and neck folded back, waiting for prey. Herons will squawk when alarmed or startled.
Herons have special feathers that break up into powder.
These are used as a sort of powder puff to clean their feathers. The powder is rubbed into the feathers and combed out using the comb-like claw located on the middle toe of each foot. Tracks show three toes facing forward and one facing back. The large hind toe enables them to stand on one leg for long periods of time. They nest in colonies in wetlands where vegetation provides safety for the nesting site.