Herons in Pennsylvania: where to see them and how to identify them

Herons favor shallow freshwater and coastal wetlands. Your best bets are Presque Isle State Park on Lake Erie, the extensive marshes at Pymatuning Reservoir, and the wetlands along the lower Susquehanna River. John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge near Philadelphia also has reliable sightings. For a full list of prime birding spots, check our Pennsylvania wildlife guide.

In Pennsylvania, herons sightings usually improve when you slow down and match your first stop to where in the state sightings are most likely. Use the state wildlife hub and the route guide to narrow your first area, then check access, weather, and distance before you settle in. A short walk with one clear viewing plan often beats covering too much ground, especially when habitat changes fast from open edges to brush, wetlands, timber, shoreline, or neighborhood cover.

Spring through fall is prime time. Arrive just after sunrise when herons are actively feeding. Late afternoon is also good. Look for them along the edges of lakes, rivers, and ponds. In winter, only a few Great Blue Herons stick around ice-free waters, so your chances drop significantly.

Great Blue Herons are large (4 ft tall), grey-blue with a white head and black stripe above the eye. They stand still and spear fish. Green Herons are much smaller, chestnut and green, and often perch on branches over water. The Black-crowned Night-Heron is stocky with a black back and crown, and red eyes. Cranes (like Sandhill) are bigger with a red cap and fly with necks outstretched; herons fly with necks tucked in. For more identification help, visit the heron species hub.

See our state animal guide for the next step.

You'll most often see Great Blue Herons (year-round in mild spots), Green Herons (summer), Black-crowned Night-Herons (summer), and occasionally Little Blue Herons or Great Egrets (both rare but increasing). They all hunt in shallow water. Learn more about each species on the heron page.

Herons eat fish, frogs, crayfish, and small aquatic animals. They hunt by standing motionless in shallow water or slowly wading. Look for them in marshy edges, along creeks, and in flooded fields after heavy rain.