Great blue heron colony returns to Vancouver's Stanley Park
The great blue heron colony is settling back in at Stanley Park, preparing to welcome another generation of new chicks.
The Vancouver Park Board announced Monday that the birds are back and the cameras that allow nature enthusiasts to observe courting, mating, nesting, egg-laying and hatching have been reactivated.
"High above Park Lane, surrounding the tennis courts, the 64-strong heron colony has settled into its home for the 23rd consecutive year to raise the next generation," a media release form the board says.
"The Heron Cam provides the ultimate close-up view of this remarkable species as they go about their daily rituals."
People visiting the park to get an in-person glimpse of the colony are advised to stay outside of the fenced perimeter, avoid playing loud music in the vicinity, keep dogs on their leashes and refrain from flying drones, which are not allowed in any city parks without a permit. Anyone who sees a fallen or injured chick is urged to stay back and call 311.
In 2022, 90 heron chicks were hatched amid challenges that the park board says included severe weather and "persistent eagle raids." The colony is among the largest in North America.
In Canada, the species is federally protected and in B.C. they are classified as of "special concern," the park board's website points out, noting the total population nation-wide is fewer than 5,000.
"The population of these herons has declined steadily since the 1980s as a result of nesting failure, eagle attacks, human disturbance, and habitat loss," according to officials.
More information about the species and the work to support the colony in Stanley Park can be found online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.