A Minnesota Great Blue Heron Rookery is Threatened
Save The Rookery
A Great Blue Heron nesting site (rookery) and forest near Rochester, Minnesota is in danger of being destroyed by development. Help us save this critical habitat.
Why should this rookery be protected?
This heron colony supports the heron population in our county and beyond. Its size and age make it biologically important for our community. Moreover, this is the only known upland great blue heron rookery in Minnesota, and it is located in a ~130 acre parcel of contiguous forest. We shouldn’t take it for granted, and we have a responsibility to protect it.
“The biggest concerns for the future of the species are the protection of wetlands and the availability of secure nesting sites. General recommendations for management focus on protecting known colony sites and foraging areas.”
The Great Blue Heron
The great blue heron is a majestic bird that you likely have seen flying overhead or wading along the rivers and creeks around Rochester, Minnesota. The nesting site (rookery) in Rochester Township includes at least 40 nests and has existed for decades.
Great Blue Herons are in decline in Minnesota
“Here is a rather revealing look at the number of Great Blue Heron reports recorded per Breeding Bird Survey route in Minnesota from 1967 to about 2017….their numbers have declined significantly since about 2000.”
-Carrol Henderson, former director of the Minnesota DNR Nongame Wildlife Program
(Chart from Robert B. Janssen, "Birds in Minnesota", Univ of MN Press, 2019. Used with permission.)
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