Not long ago, I was enjoying a little birding in southern Texas. There I was walking along the

coast near the city of Corpus Christi when I had an encounter with a great blue heron. The experience

left a lasting impression on me, because this bird was enormous. It towered over my head, standing about 20 feet tall.

Yes, you heard me right, 20 feet tall, which is about 6 meters. Now, don't worry, I haven't lost my

marbles, and I'm not going to suddenly turn this into a silly cryptozoology podcast,

where I talk about bigfoot, chupacabra, and giant birds that don't

exist. This great blue heron I encountered in Texas wasn't a real bird. It was a massive metal

sculpture. Created by artist Dixie Friend Gay, it stands guard at the entrance to the Osso Bay Wetlands Preserve in Corpus Christi.

The sculpture impressed me because it shifted my perspective dramatically. I felt small and vulnerable as I looked up at it.

A Tyrannosaurus-sized heron like that, if it were alive, would see me as an easy meal.

Now I can imagine just how terrifying a great blue heron must be to fish and many other small animals.

We humans are lucky that these herons stand only about five feet tall, rather than 20.

And we're lucky to have these wonderful birds in North and Central America,

stalking around in our wetlands and along our seashores.

Because the Great Blue Heron is a beautiful, fascinating, and ecologically important bird.

Music fascinating and ecologically important bird.

Hello and welcome.

This is the Science of Birds.

I am your host, Ivan Philipson.

The Science of Birds podcast is a lighthearted exploration of bird biology for lifelong learners.

This episode, which is number 70, is all about the Great Blue Heron.

The Bird, that is.

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