Watch this thriving great blue heron colony in downtown Vancouver
'This camera lets us discover how nurturing, resilient and downright comedic these stately birds can be.'
This live, interactive heron cam was installed by the Vancouver Park Board in 2015 to connect the public to nature in a unique and intimate way, offering an opportunity to observe a heron colony that has returned to the same site in Vancouver's Stanley Park every year since 2001. The camera also assists Stanley Park Ecology Society's monitoring efforts aimed at protecting this "species at risk" during the birds' most vulnerable life stage — their breeding season (February to August.)
One third of great blue herons worldwide live around the Salish Sea, and the Stanley Park colony is a vital part of the south coast heron population. Considering how spooked other heron colonies can get around people, it's remarkable that this colony returns each season to raise a new generation amidst the noise and bustle of one of the most densely populated cities in Canada.
The latest survey of the colony from 2020 reported an estimated 155 fledglings. Stay tuned for information on the 2021 colony!
Steps to using the camera from a desktop device:
- Click on the blue control icon at the bottom-right of the camera. The icon will turn yellow to indicate that you want to use it.
- You will have one minute to control the camera. You might have to join a queue and you'll see how many people are ahead of you.
- When it is your turn, the control button will turn green, one minute countdown will begin. At the top right corner of the camera, you will see a drop down menu of different views of the colony at different distances.
- Enjoy the Heron Cam!
You won't be able to control the camera on a mobile device. Fog and wind may affect viewing conditions.