At Armand Bayou in the midst of heron hijinks, proud parents of these feathered rascals bask in their well-deserved break.

This is a siege of juvenile great blue herons and you know somewhere there are a couple sets of parents taking a much needed break! The Great Blue Heron is a master angler and is the largest North American heron, standing up to a whopping 54 inches tall with a wingspan of up to 79 inches. But here’s the kicker: they only weigh about 5 to 6 pounds! That’s lighter than a gallon of milk! Their secret? Hollow bones, just like most birds, making them incredibly light for their impressive size. Nature’s engineering at its finest! Photo courtesy of Gary Seloff.

Armand Bayou Nature Center