Great Blue Heron Rivals 'Hot Duck' Of Central Park Pond

CENTRAL PARK, NY — Central Park's Mandarin Duck, which has been mesmerizing parkgoers since mysteriously arriving in October and has been christened the "hot duck," has some new competition.

A Great Blue Heron has been attracting the attention of photographers at Central Park's pond this winter, earning itself a slice of viral fame and news coverage. One photo of the sky-blue bird taken last week has become particularly popular.

The shot depicts the heron showing off its striking profile while standing atop a branch at the Central Park pond — its blue legs straight as a ruler and its long neck perfectly craned.

Central Park birdwatcher David Barrett, who runs a popular bird photography account on Twitter, told Gothamist that the heron has been appearing near the pond all winter. The Great Blue Heron can be found in Central Park year round, but only in small numbers and it's usually camera-shy, the birdwatcher told Gothamist.

The National Audubon Society describes the Great Blue Heron as a "very adaptable" species that can forage in any form of calm or slow-moving fresh water, which means the bird should be able to stick around Central Park for a while. It's the largest species of heron in North America and is able to stay up north during the cold winter months, according to the society.

The heron may be Central Park's newest "it bird," but it has a lot of work to do to reach the levels of fame attained by the Mandarin Duck. The duck became a bona fide sensation after its surprise appearance among the plain old mallards that populate Central Park's waterways, attracting a crowd of photographers for months.