CPW Great Blue Heron Shapefile Download

Updated December, 2025 FORAGING AREA: Areas where Great Blue Herons are known to feed. Appropriate habitat includes shallow water areas associated with reservoirs, lakes, ponds, streams, and backwater areas of major rivers with abundant fish populations. On large irrigation reservoirs, these areas will fluctuate. HISTORIC NEST AREA: A formerly active nesting area that has been destroyed or in which no courtship, breeding or brooding activity has been observed at any time in the last five years. NESTING AREA: Individual trees or groups of trees containing nest platforms, and a buffer zone extending 500 meters around a known active or inactive nest site. Nest platforms are usually located in dominant trees associated with riparian habitats. This information was derived from Colorado Parks and Wildlife field personnel. Data was captured by digitizing through a SmartBoard Interactive Whiteboard using topographic maps and NAIP imagery at various scales (Cowardin, M., M. Flenner. March 2003. Maximizing Mapping Resources. GeoWorld 16(3):32-35). These data are updated on a four year rotation with one of the four Colorado Parks and Wildlife Regions updated each year. These data are not updated on a statewide level annually.